ZAHEER ABBASI

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that a plan has been prepared to bring former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif back from the United Kingdom, saying that he is democratic elected prime minister and no one could ask him to resign.

In an interview to a private TV channel, the prime minister while referring to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that a convicted person is hatching a conspiracy against the government from abroad and he will be brought back. The prime minister said that the British government has been approached to bring Nawaz Sharif back.

The premier further stated that Nawaz Sharif has been playing a “very dangerous game” and maintained that he is being facilitated in this regard.

A similar game was played by Altaf Hussain and Husain Haqani against the army, he said, adding that Pakistan would have been facing a situation that Iraq, Yemen and other Muslim countries are facing, and “it was saved only because of the army.”

He said he would prefer to resign than give an NRO to the opposition against their corruption, adding that that if opposition members submit their resignations he would immediately accept and hold elections on the seats vacated by them. He said he would visit Saudi Arabia soon.

The prime minister said that Nawaz Sharif has no moral standing required for democratically-elected leaders because he came to power for personal gains. Power comes in democracy through moral standing, added premier.

He said that leadership is responsible to the people but they do not want to give answer. He said that army is an institution of the government and whenever he felt the need of any institution he would take help from it.

He said that General Qamar Javed Bajwa met with the opposition leaders on the issue of Gilgit-Baltistan after consulting him as it was a security issue and he was better placed to do so. The prime Minister said that India is trying to create Shia-Sunni clashes in Pakistan.

The prime Minister also maintained that if former DG ISI Zaheerul Islam would have asked him to resign, he would have demanded his (Zaheerul Islam) resignation he termed the civil-military relationship ‘best at present’ and stated that entire army is standing behind him. He said the elected government is working as per its manifesto and army is supporting it on all issues whether it is Afghanistan policy or the Kartarpur corridor.

The prime minister said that Nawaz Sharif has never been a democratic as he was nurtured in politics by General Gilani (retd) as finance minister of Punjab but then he had issues with the then president General Ishaq Khan, General Asif Nawaz Janjua (retd), General Pervez Musharraf (retd) and also with Raheel Sharif. Prime Minister Khan said that Nawaz Sharif and his party came to power to plunder the wealth of the nation.