Aaj Logo

Updated 01 Apr, 2022 01:31am

PM Imran Khan blames US for impending regime change

Prime Minister Imran Khan blamed the United States for impending change in Pakistan's government, adding that the country's fate would be decided on Sunday when voting is likely to happen in the National Assembly on the no-confidence motion submitted by the joint opposition against him.

The premier in his address to the nation this evening mentioned the 'letter' which, according to Khan, was an "official document".

"We received a direct threat from a country that said 'there is a no-confidence motion coming against the elected PM, and if the motion succeeds, we will forgive all previous mistakes of the country'. The letter also mentioned that there cannot be normal relations between our two countries until PM Imran is in power.

In slip of tongue, PM Imran during his address named the United States as country behind 'threatening document'.

"I am here today because on March 8 or 7, the United States ... not the US ... we got a message. For an independent country, a message like this is [not only] against its prime minister but is also against the country [itself]."

Khan said that he showed the letter to the cabinet, Parliament, and senior journalists. “There are more dangerous things in it, the things I haven't told you about,” he added.

He expressed the determination that he will never let the foreign conspiracy succeed to undermine Pakistan's sovereignty and independence.

Referring to opposition leaders, he said some stooges are trying to compromise country's interest and to appease foreign forces for their personal agenda. He said a country's credibility is on stake if it does not pursue an independent foreign policy. He questioned how foreign country can dictate an independent and sovereign nation to pursue a particular policy.

The premier said that he decided the day he became the prime minister that the country's foreign policy would be independent, which means it would be for Pakistanis. "It doesn't mean that we wanted enmity," he added.

'Defining moment'

At the beginning of his address, the premier said Pakistan has reached a "defining moment," which would define Pakistan's future.

The prime minister said the entire nation will witness that who are going to sell their conscience on Sunday, which is the voting day on the no-confidence motion against him.

He went on to say these sold-out souls should keep it in mind that the people of Pakistan will never forgive them for betraying the nation.

"Most of the current politicians had no recognition before entering politics, but I had already achieved a lot before joining politics. As I grew up, I saw the country deviating from its ideology and falling behind regional countries due to corruption and lawlessness.

"I already enjoyed fame and had money due to my faith in Allah, and I was part of a generation that was born to an independent state, unlike my parents," the premier said.

Explaining why he had entered politics in the 1990s following a successful cricket career, the premier said that his core purpose of coming into politics was to put the country on the right path.

"When I started politics, I included three things in my party's manifesto. Justice, which means law is the same for the powerful and the weak. Humanity because there is kindness in an Islamic state, and third, Khuddari because a Muslim nation cannot be a slave."

War on terror

"I have said this before and I will say this again that I will never bow down to anyone neither let my country bow down to anyone or let them become slaves of anyone," added Khan, referring to Pakistan's role in the war against terror post 9/11.

"People said that we are collaborators of the United States and hundreds of Pakistanis sacrificed their lives, but did anyone thank us for that," he asked adding that so many people died in drone attacks.

The premier further said that when the country's northern areas were bombarded by US drones, he was the "only politician" who staged sit-ins against it.

Read Comments