Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said that he was “all set” to face the opposition and their moves to topple his government, reiterating his commitment to do jihad and not to grant them any National Reconciliation Ordinance.

“For the last 25 years, I am doing jihad. During my cricketing years, God kept me among the top five captains of the world. And, when a captain plays a match he is ready for every tactic of his opponent,” he said while addressing the Women's Day ceremony at the Fatima Jinnah Women University in Rawalpindi.

The premier’s words were similar to the one he said during his address to the gathering in Melsi. Then the prime minister had said he was prepared for the opposition, which has taken to the streets and meeting the ruling party's allies, warning them of his wrath when the no-trust move failed in parliament.

PM Imran used cricket metaphors to elaborate his strategy, saying: “When the opponent wins a toss, then I know what I have to do. If I win the toss then, then it is what my team has to do. If it's a fast wicket. then what kind of bowling will I use. I will be ready for whatever they will do.”

The premier further called for maintaining rule of law in the country. “The biggest jihad of our government is against the powerful, who does not want to work as per law. They seek NRO, they blackmail that you did not waive my stealing I will topple your government,” PM Imran said.

He alleged that even the military dictator, former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf, gave up to the powerful and gave them NRO. The premier said he would never give NRO and do jihad. He was of the view that the lack of rule of law in poor countries was the reason for their poverty.

The premier further lamented the perception to accept the looters.

Women’s Day

The premier claimed that his government has empowered women.

“When we talk about women’s rights, we should understand that our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had given the right to inheritance to women and Europe and the UK gave such entitlement in 1920,” he said. However, he lamented that despite such achievement women were not given such rights in Pakistan

He blamed Indian subcontinent tradition for such a disparity between women here and the West. The premier added that women were not given rights under the “feudal system.”

PM Imran was of the view that administration and women had a greater role in making people aware of the rights to inheritance for women which is a law. Moreover, he stressed the need for “endeavour” to ensure women were being given children custody and taken care of when they are divorced. “As people get aware, we will start enforcing it.”

He alleged that over the years the government did not give attention to women’s education and lamented the state of homes where mothers were uneducated. “Unless we educate our girls, we cannot progress,” he said, adding that the government’s Ehsaas programme ensured women’s education rights.

“This is a war of our rights. When you talk about human rights, you talk about everyone,” he said, adding that rights were always across the board. “I have seen [people] talk about women’s rights… consider this there is a poor household, where a child and man have no rights but women will be given rights. How it can happen.”

He added that the courts ensure the provision of rights and the country’s system with the education sector helps in this regard.