‘I play till the last ball’: Embattled Pakistan PM Imran Khan indicates he won’t resign

Here are the highlights from his speech today:

🔴 Speaking about rumours that he will step down and not face the vote, Imran Khan said, “When I played cricket for 20 years, the world and those who played cricket with me saw that I play till the last ball. I’ve never accepted defeat in life. Nobody should think that I will sit at home. I’ll face the trust vote on Sunday and come back stronger, whatever may the result be.”

🔴 Imran Khan claimed that Pakistan has received a message from a foreign nation saying that Khan needs to be removed, or else Pakistan will suffer consequences. Khan also claimed that the message has more threatening content than what he revealed to the nation.

🔴 Imran Khan said there are three stooges in Pakistan that are working with foreign powers and likened them with Mir Zafar and Mir Sadiq, who conspired with British and overthrew Siraj-ud-Daula and Tipu Sultan respectively in colonial India.

🔴 Imran said ever since he assumed power as the Prime Minister of Pakistan, he advocated for a foreign policy that was for the people of the country. “Ever since I formed the government, I have said Pakistan’s foreign policy should be for Pakistan’s people. But, that never meant “enmity” with other nations,” he said.

🔴 “I never spoke ill about the US or even India. I spoke against India only after the country changed the status of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019. Then I spoke against India on all platforms,” Imran Khan said.

🔴 Imran alleged that former President Pervez Musharraf led the nation into USA’s web. “America sanctioned us after we allied with them. However, they attacked us with drones despite our help,” he said.

🔴 “As a child, I remember Pakistan rising to the top. It was a model country for many… South Korea had come to Pakistan to learn how did we progress, Malaysian princes used to study with me in school. Middle East used to come to our universities. I’ve seen all this sinking, seen my country getting insulted,” said Khan.

🔴 “When I joined politics, I had three aims – to ensure justice, humanity and self-reliance,” Imran Khan said.

🔴 Imran Khan said Pakistan has reached a “defining moment” in its history.

Khan’s address comes amid allegations that a foreign conspiracy was afoot to remove him from power. On Wednesday, he had cancelled his address amid rumours that he will step down and not face the vote, and that the Army and ISI chiefs visited his house.

Pakistan Parliament session adjourned till Sunday without debate on no-trust motion against Imran Khan

On Thursday, Pakistan’s National Assembly session, that was to debate the no-confidence motion against Khan, was adjourned abruptly till 11.30 am Sunday. At the beginning of the session, Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri asked lawmakers to discuss items listed on the agenda. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Babar Awan moved a motion to adjourn the session so that the assembly hall could be used by the Parliamentary Committee for National Security’s meeting that is scheduled to be held at 6 pm, the Dawn reported. The opposition lawmakers, however, demanded an immediate vote on the no-trust motion against the premier. Suri then adjourned the House, amid din by the Opposition lawmakers.

Pak PM Imran Khan summons NSC meeting ahead of no-confidence vote

Earlier in the day, Imran Khan summoned a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC), the highest forum for discussion on security issues.

The development comes a day after the PM shared a letter – purportedly pointing at a “foreign conspiracy” to oust his government – with his cabinet members. Khan also called a select few TV anchors and told them that “the language of the letter was threatening and arrogant” and that Pakistan would face dire consequences if the no-trust motion failed. However, he did not show the letter to the media, the Dawn reported.

US says no letter sent to Pak, rejects allegations of involvement in no-confidence motion: Report

Seeking to refute all allegations of its involvement in the no-confidence motion against the current Pakistan government, the US has asserted that it did not send any letter to Pakistan on the country’s present political situation, according to a media report on Thursday.

On Wednesday, the PTI-led government said that its allegation about the foreign conspiracy was based on a diplomatic cable received from one of the country’s missions abroad.

With inputs from PTI, Dawn