PM Imran Khan turns guns on Nawaz Sharif as vote on no-trust motion nears

• Nawaz to return after Opposition closes all cases, claims PM Imran.
• Nawaz to target ECP, judiciary, military after returning, he says.
• PM warns he will "not spare" Opposition even if he is ousted.

KAMALIA: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday turned his guns on PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, accusing him of targeting the judiciary, election commission, and military when he returns to Pakistan.

In an address to a rally in Kamalia, the prime minister said the "only objective" behind the Opposition's no-confidence motion against him was to come into power and close "all of their corruption cases" and dismantle the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

PM Imran said once the Opposition comes into power and closes all the corruption cases, PML-N supremo would return to Pakistan from London, take support from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and "attack the courts".

The prime minister said the PML-N supremo had started "yellow journalism, paid off judges, and bought members of parliaments" to achieve his own goals.

Read more: Federal ministers discuss PML-Q’s grievances with Pervaiz Elahi

PM Imran said as Nawaz was "corrupt", he would not let a free judiciary thrive, therefore, his major target would be the courts. "He — despite being in London — has already divided the Supreme Court judges."

"After all these things, his next target will be the Pakistan Army. He has had issues with every army chief that he has appointed," the prime minister said about Nawaz.

Giving a reason behind Nawaz's "issues with army chiefs", PM Imran Khan said the army's agencies are the first ones who get information about the PML-N supremo's "corruption".

"He wants to control them as he already controls other institutions. Nawaz also met [Indian PM Narendra] Modi secretively in Nepal," the prime minister said.

Losing power 'a small price to pay'

On the no-confidence motion, PM Imran Khan warned the Opposition that losing power was "a small price to pay" and he would go after the Opposition even if it costs him "his life".

Lashing out at the Opposition, cricket star-turned-politician alleged that they were "buying the conscience" of members of the National Assembly for Rs250-300 million.

Read more: 'Voting on no-confidence motion against PM Imran Khan likely on April 4'

"Through looted money, the country's biggest thugs want to oust a sitting government," the prime minister alleged, adding that it was now the nation's duty to stand with the incumbent government against a "corrupt" Opposition.

"People should come out and give them a message: Your days of corruption are over."

The prime minister asked the nation to reach Islamabad on March 27 (tomorrow) as the PTI aims to hold a "historic" rally at Parade Ground, which will show the Opposition that the masses stand with the "truth".

The prime minister has been addressing back-to-back rallies which will lead up to the ruling PTI's public gathering in Islamabad tomorrow, touted as a referendum for PM Imran Khan.

'Thank you three stooges'

The prime minister also thanked "three stooges" — PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif, PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, and PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman — for boosting PTI's support base.

Read more: Actors will change in the political drama, says Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi

"People were frightened after seeing their faces. They became afraid that the three stooges might return to power. Thus, the masses turned towards me and even those, who were against PTI, have now started supporting us," the prime minister told the rally.

'Inflation still less in Pakistan'

Speaking about the works of his government, the prime minister said the Opposition was "afraid" that Pakistan came out of the coronavirus crisis with fewer setbacks.

"There have been record exports, textile production, record tax collections — this has helped us spend money on the people," he said.

Read more: Senior PPP leader pleads PDM to reconsider its plan to hold Islamabad rally

PM Imran claimed that despite inflation rising internationally, the "inflation in Pakistan was still less".

"This is why the gang of thugs has united [...] they are afraid of the government's works," the prime minister added.