PTI lawmakers 'ready to jump ship' after Imran Khan's failures: Maryam Nawaz

• Maryam advises PM to wear helmet when he meets masses.
• She says there is unrest in country, terrorism in on the rise.
• Maryam says PML-N supremo Nawaz was earlier against no-confidence motion.

ISLAMABAD: PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz said Thursday Prime Minister Imran Khan is turning his guns on the Opposition as he is aware that his party's lawmakers are "ready to jump ship" because of his "failures".

Speaking to journalists outside the Islamabad High Court (IHC), the PML-N leader said the prime minister was not "tenable" for anyone anymore, as she claimed the premier was aware that his "ship is in the storm".

Maryam said the government's members of national and provincial assemblies and allies would not be able to ask their constituents for votes in the next elections after the "failures" of the prime minister.

"There is unrest in the country; terrorism is on the rise once again [...] I want to tell the PTI MPAs and MNAs: stop supporting the government," the PML-N leader said.

"It's my honest opinion: wear a helmet whenever you go to meet the people," Maryam told PM Imran Khan, adding: "People will collar you, so be careful from now on."

No-confidence motion

Maryam said that at first PML-N, supremo Nawaz Sharif did not favour moving a no-confidence motion against PM Imran Khan. But, according to her, the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) convinced him to listen to people’s demands.

The PML-N leader said the masses also demand the prime minister’s ouster. “Nawaz heard people’s voice and backed the no-confidence motion,” she stated.

Speaking about the PML-N supremo’s travel plans, she said Nawaz cannot come back to the country due to medical reasons.

The PML-N leader claimed several sectors had witnessed more than a 500% increase in inflation, but the prime minister had announced a mere 15% increase in the salaries of government employees.

The government has decided to give a 15% disparity allowance on basic pay to underprivileged employees from BS 1 to 19. The above package is also recommended to the provinces for adoption from their own funds.

She added that first the Opposition would move a no-confidence motion and the future plans of who would become the prime minister would be decided later.

To a question about contact with disgruntled PTI leader Jahangir Tareen, Maryam said: “Do you want me to answer everything today?”

In response to the Opposition's strategy, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain had said Wednesday PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif and Maryam "orchestrated the drama of no-confidence motion" against PM Imran Khan in a bid to flee the country.

“The purpose of the no-trust move by Shahbaz and Maryam is nothing but only to get a chance for going abroad, but we will not let them succeed in such attempts until they return the looted public money,” he said while addressing a condolence reference Peshawar.