Bilawal Bhutto asks Imran Khan to exit ‘respectfully’

Islamabad [Pakistan], April 1 (ANI): Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Friday said that Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan should seek an honourable exit, and resign before the vote on the no-confidence motion against his government on Sunday, local media reported.
Bilawal said the Prime Minister should fight against the constitutional process honourably and should not seek a “face-saving or a backdoor exit”. “You (Imran Khan) were imposed upon this nation… it is about time you should think about your acts. Our steps would strengthen the democracy in this country,” he added, reported the Express Tribune.
He further said that for the first time in Pakistan’s history, a peaceful no-confidence vote is taking place as at many times in the past, unconstitutional means were used for such purpose. “We have taken a constitutional route… it should not be made controversial,” he added.
Bilawal further expressed hope that there would not be any “unconstitutional” step taken before Sunday’s no-confidence vote against Imran Khan.
Talking about Imran Khan’s allegations that the no-confidence motion is part of a ‘global conspiracy’ to oust him, Bilawal said that Imran Khan used to say that by tabling the no-confidence motion, the opposition has given him a gift but now declares it a global conspiracy against his government, the Express Tribune reported.
“Please, first decide whether it is a gift from us or it is a foreign conspiracy,” Bilawal said mocking Imran Khan.
In an address to the nation on Thursday, Pakistan’s embattled Prime Minister Imran Khan had raised a “foreign conspiracy” charge amid the opposition’s growing confidence about the no-trust motion against his government that is pending in the National Assembly.
“The United States”, Imran Khan said in a slip of the tongue and then stated that “a foreign country” had sent a “threatening memo” which was against the Pakistani nation.
“On March 8 or before that on March 7, the US sent us a…not the US but a foreign country sent us a message. The reason why I talking about this…for an independent country to receive such a message… this is against me and the country,” he said.
Later in the day, the United States rejected insinuations made by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan regarding Washington’s role in the alleged “foreign conspiracy” to oust him from power.
“There is no truth to these allegations. We are closely following developments in Pakistan. We respect and support Pakistan’s constitutional process and the rule of law,” a US State Department spokesperson told ANI.
In Pakistan’s National Assembly, the no-trust vote against the Imran Khan government was deferred to April 3. The proceedings of the National Assembly were adjourned till April 3 soon after it met on Thursday to discuss the no-confidence motion.
Earlier, on Monday, Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) President Shahbaz Sharif tabled the no-confidence motion.
Imran Khan is the third Prime Minister to face the no-confidence motion in Pakistan.
After the no-confidence motion was tabled with a total of 161 votes in favour, the proceedings of the National Assembly were adjourned till March 31.
Imran Khan received a massive blow when the PTI “lost the majority” in the National Assembly after losing its key ally in the coalition Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P). The MQM announced on Wednesday that it had struck a deal with the opposition Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and would support the no-trust vote in the 342-member National Assembly.
The government’s survival depends on the support of allies such as MQM-P (7 seats), BAP (5 seats), PML(Q) (5 seats), GDA (3 seats), AML (1 seat), JWP (1 seat) and two independents. (ANI)