Play on the 'front foot' against Opposition: PM Imran Khan tells govt representatives

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan, it seems, is not willing to back down from the Opposition parties and their calls for him to step down. 

Sources told Geo News how the prime minister told government spokespersons to "play on the front foot (aggressively) against the Opposition" in a meeting he chaired on Wednesday. 

"The Opposition has come out openly in its anti-state [narrative]," said the prime minister, according to sources, advising government spokespersons to render any tactic by the Opposition ineffective. 

The prime minister reportedly said that the masses had become aware of the Opposition's objectives, lamenting that they had even resorted to politics of issues of national interest. 

He said that the recent Gallup Pakistan survey had revealed how the PTI was more popular than the PML-N and the PPP, saying that the ruling party will win the Gilgit-Baltistan elections. 

"Give priority to the government's narrative, face the Opposition on every forum," said PM Imran Khan to participants of the meeting.

Sources further told Geo News that the prime minister reportedly said that the improving economic situation was worrying for the country's Opposition. He vowed that prices of sugar and wheat will come down in a few days. 

GB Election 2020: Surveys reveal PTI ahead of PPP, PML-N

The upcoming Gilgit Baltistan Elections will be a very close contest between PTI and PPP, revealed two surveys conducted by Gallup Pakistan and Pulse Consultant, putting the ruling party ahead of PPP, whereas, PML-N was placed at the third position.

According to a report published in The News, the surveys unveiled PM Imran Khan as the most popular leader in GB followed by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Nawaz Sharif. Around 30% of voters believe elections will be transparent and free of rigging.

When asked about which political party they would vote for on 15th Nov (the Election Day), the 27% of Gallup respondents said they would vote for PTI, 24% said PPP, and 14% said PML-N.

On the other hand, 35% of Pulse Consultant respondents said they would vote for PTI, 26% said PPP and 14% said PML-N. Gallup survey shows there is a gap of only 3% between the PTI and PPP as the first choice of voters. However, in the Pulse survey, the gap between the two leading parties is 9% but the trend is the same – PTI is the first choice, PPP second and PML-N third.

However, most of the results would depend on the electoral dynamics of the Election Day and the voters turn out as who is able to assist their voters to come out and vote for them