New Delhi, March 15: As the D-day for the no-confidence vote against Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan comes closer, he and his senior ministers have stepped up their tirade of insults and even started resorting to threats of violence against the united opposition.
While Imran Khan is calling the opposition leaders names, his civil aviation minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan went a step ahead by calling the opposition anti-Pakistan and anti-Islam. He also came up with an outrageous remark.
"Although suicide bombing is forbidden, I wish to be one to blow up the entire opposition," the minister said in a viral video shared by many Pakistanis on social media.
Imran Khan is trying to convince the people that the united opposition has joined the west, especially the US, to oust him through a no-confidence vote in the Pakistan National assembly. After seeing the writing on the wall, Imran Khan had issued a new threat to the opposition that his one million supporters will be in D-chowk of Islamabad on D-day when the no-confidence motion will be put for voting in the assembly.
Several ministers, including Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, have warned the party dissidents that PTI workers would surround their homes to prevent them from voting on the motion.
"It is the responsibility of the government and the Speaker of the National Assembly to ensure that all lawmakers, whether they belong to the opposition or ruling party, are protected and facilitated in casting their vote according to their conscience. In case some ruling party members vote against their party leader, they can be proceeded against according to the law. Threats of violence only betray the nervousness of the rulers," said Abbas Khukro, a Pakistani journalist, adding that Imran Khan is trying to win a lost battle at any cost.
But there are a few ministers of Imran Khan's cabinet who have realised the danger of his "misadventure" which can plunge the country into a grim situation.
Khan's Information Minister Fawad fears that irrespective of who wins or loses in the no-trust vote, it would cause serious divisions among the people on the basis of their political thinking.
According to media reports, Fawad and other "sane" ministers approached the opposition camp to withdraw their no-confidence vote and come to the negotiation table for holding of early elections.
Rejecting the offer, the combined opposition has claimed that they have the required votes to "kick out" Imran Khan.
Meanwhile the army establishment, that had brought Imran Khan to power, is "furious" over his continuous attack on the west. They are also upset with Khan's call for a show of strength to his supporters in Islamabad.
"If the ruling party is adamant to spread chaos in the capital where all foreign missions are situated and there are apprehensions that Khan's unruly mob can go to any extent, it is the army's duty take control," says one insider indicating possibility of an army take over and announcement of the early elections.
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