Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has claimed that “a conspiracy is being hatched to cause bloodshed” on the streets of Islamabad to sabotage the no-confidence resolution against Prime Minister Imran Khan.

“A conspiracy is being hatched to cause bloodshed on the streets of Islamabad while domestic and foreign elements will be involved in this riot. If there is a riot on the streets at the behest of the government to thwart the no-confidence resolution, then questions will be raised who will pay for the march to bring one million people in Islamabad? Those who have not been able to answer the foreign funding case till date will pay to bring one million people in Islamabad? Behind ‘you’ is the funding of India and Israel,” PPP senators Palwasha Khan and Rubina Khalid stated this in a joint news conference on Saturday.

Senator Khan said that threats of suicide attacks are coming from the federal ministers. She said that the interior minister says that he himself will lead the rally from Rawalpindi. Banners are being displayed at the government’s expense, she claimed.

She said, “I want to talk about ‘Absolutely Not’. Has the US asked for bases? When handing over Kashmir to Modi, bowing before the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and handing over the State Bank to the IMF, why you did not say ‘Absolutely not’ at that time?” “You (Imran Khan) prayed for Modi’s victory, you like India’s foreign policy, Kashmir and Palestine issues were not even mentioned in the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) statement.”

Khan said as long as an “incompetent” government remains; the country could not move towards development. “You mentioned ‘Cherry Blossom’ in your speech. It is used for shoes and now this Cherry Blossom will be applied on your face then you will know,” she said.

She said that PPP MPA Jam Abdul Karim has been granted bail by the Sindh High Court, adding that the arrest warrant issued by the federal interior minister would interfere with the judicial decisions.

She claimed that the prime minister was using a ‘religion card’ and he has left Ziaul Haq behind in this regard.

Senator Khalid said that the country is facing a dangerous situation at this moment. It is unfortunate that Imran Khan is the prime minister of this country, she said. She said that the ministers are talking about suicide bombings. She said that instead of bringing one million people in Islamabad, the prime minister should complete the number 172 in the National Assembly. She said that it is not the job of the interior minister to lead the processions. The interior minister is responsible for all the circumstances, she said.

The story was originally published in Business Recorder on March 27, 2022.