ZULFIQAR AHMAD

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) held a protest demonstration against the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan which was rejected by the deputy speaker of National Assembly on the grounds that a foreign country in connivance with the local opposition parties had attempted to oust the prime minister.

Addressing the rally, the senior leadership of the party categorically said that any foreign country no matter how powerful it is if made any attempt for a regime change which is a direct interference in matters of a sovereign state, would not be allowed.

They said that the people of Pakistan stand by their leader Prime Minister Imran Khan and this was the reason, their attempt of ousting through illegal means was foiled.

Speaking on the occasion, former federal minister for planning and development who is also secretary general of PTI, Asad Umar, said that the whole country had pinned their hopes on Prime Minister Imran Khan and the apex court.

He said that threat letter clearly stated that if the “three stooges” Asif Zardari, Shehbaz Sharif, and Maulana Fazlur Rehman, succeed in their no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan, Pakistan would be forgiven.

“How shameful is this with a sovereign country, and no one should have any doubt in their mind that no conspiracy will be allowed no matter what,” he declared.

Referring to the dissidents of the party, he recalled that one of the female MNAs who pocketed Rs180 million said that, she would have a better life ahead.

“This is how these turncoats sold out their conscience, which we are not going to allow in this country,” he added.

Murad Saeed, former minister for communications said that Prime Minister Imran Khan knew about the conspiracy against a democratically-elected government, adding those local politicians who were hand in glove with their foreign masters were exposed. He said that it is only Prime Minister Khan who has the guts to say “absolutely not” to the US when asked about giving military bases inside Pakistan, adding “stooges” like Sharifs and Zardaris are there only to serve their foreign masters.

Dr Shireen Mazari, a former human rights minister said that it was the PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif who had offered India to send director general Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) for holding probe into Mumbai attacks.

“How dare you send DG ISI to an enemy country for holding probe into Mumbai attacks…I ask you people to decide that “isn’t he [Sharif] a traitor,” she questioned.

Other leaders of the PTI also addressed the charged crowd which gathered at D-Chowk to register their protest against the “threat letter” which the prime minister says was an official communiqué between Donald Lu, the assistant secretary of state for south and central Asia and the then ambassador of Pakistan to the US.

A large number of people from twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi attended the rally, which according to the PTI will continue for a week, to condemn the no-confidence motion against the prime minister by a foreign country in connivance with Pakistan’s opposition parties.