Imran delivered a container speech in US: opposition

ISLAMABAD: The opposition on Monday said Prime Minister Imran Khan delivered the speech of container in the US and admitted that he was behind the arrests of opposition leaders.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) central leader Ahsan Iqbal said the incumbent government has imposed worst kind of dictatorship in the cover of democracy.

He said the public rally of the PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz in Faisalabad was also censored on media on behest of the government.

“The government imposed worst state censorship to blackout public rally of Maryam Nawaz but we will not accept or bow to dictatorship in any form,” he said while addressing a news conference along with party’s spokesperson Marriyum Aurengzeb and Musadik Malik.

The PML-N leader said that address of Prime Minister Imran Khan to Pakistani community in Washington was just repetition of his speech which he made while standing on container at D-Chowk in August, 2014. “Imran Khan delivered similar speeches on different occasions from the year 2015 to 2018,” he said.

Ahsan Iqbal said the only agenda of ‘PM-select’ Imran Khan was to present Pakistan as a corrupt state whether he spoke in Communists Party’s school in China or in the National Assembly and when talk to foreign investors.

He said the selected prime minister had proved that neither he had any experience nor any competency to deliver rather he has been indulging in character assassination of political opponents.

“He is earning bad name for the country through character assassination of opponents and blame game,” Ahsan Iqbal said, adding that speech of the prime minister in Washington gave an impression that leader of an NGO presented his programme.

He said that despite five years in government in KP and one year in the Centre, Imran Khan was still making promises that he would undertake plans in education and health sector. “On the other hand, the PML-N during his tenures addressed issues facing the country, particularly the energy sector problems, where we ended electricity loadshedding instead of continuing to make hollow claims and promises,” he said.

Ahsan Iqbal said the Pakistani nation have never accepted dictatorship. He said there would be no compromise on violation of basic rights, and supremacy of the Constitution will be ensured. “Time has come for decisive struggle and we are ready to pay any price,” he said.

The PML-N leader alleged that Imran Khan was also involved in arrest of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and he admitted the same during his speech in Washington.

"The government has not been able to deter support of masses for the PML-N which was proved by them at rally of Maryam Nawaz in Faisalabad," he said.

Ahsan Iqbal maintained that Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was never involved in corrupt practices, advising the government to refrain from putting at stake friendly relations with Qatar in blame game with regard to LNG deal, saying that Qatar provided LNG to Pakistan on cheaper rates.

“Not only that Qatar provided us LNG on cheaper rates, but now they are also helping out Pakistan with $3 billion,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that even when representing the country aboard, the selected prime minister could not get off his container.

“Pity even when representing the country abroad selected PM can’t get off his container. Imran is a ruler, not a leader,” Bilawal tweeted.

According to Bilawal, Pakistan was in need of a leader who speaks for all Pakistanis not just himself. “If the government does opposition and opposition does opposition then who is left to run the country?” he said.