Imran’s govt won’t survive a day if I don’t want it to: Pervaiz Khattak

NOWSHERA: Prime Minister Imran Khan's government will not survive a single day if I don't want it to, said Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak on Sunday.

The former KP chief minister was speaking to PTI workers in Nowshera where he spoke about the incumbent government. Khattak spoke about the Opposition, saying that they respected him which is why he also had regard for parliamentarians. "No one can cheat me when it comes to politics," he said, adding that Imran Khan's government would not last a single day if he didn't want it to.

However, Khattak clarified that the prime minister had bestowed a lot of favours on him and that he was with the premier all the way. A few hours after the Khattak’s above-mentioned statement started doing the rounds on social media, the defence minister took to Twitter to issue a clarification.

In the tweet, Khattak clarified that he was "sincere and indebted" to Imran Khan. “Clearly mentioned in my speech for the locals of my village in Nowshera that I’m sincere and indebted to Imran Khan. We are successful in our constituency due to our efforts and the support of IK. We will defeat all opp. parties ganged up against the candidate we are supporting for the by-election," he tweeted.

Declaring himself a sincere and trusted associate of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Federal Minister for Defence Pervez Khattak said on Sunday there was no threat to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, which would complete constitutional term till the year 2023.

“Not only the PTI government will complete the present tenure but also it will win the second term in the next election due to its performance,” he said while talking to the party member at the Irrigation Guesthouse in Pabbi Tehsil of the Nowshera district.

Several Awami National Party (ANP) workers headed by Zainullah announced joining the ruling PTI on the occasion. Other PTI leaders, including Ibrahim Khattak, Anwar Haqqani, Sidiqullah and Zaralam Khan were present on the occasion.

Clarifying his earlier speech, he said a section of the media had twisted his remarks about Prime Minister Imran Khan. “I owe to him the respect I enjoy in politics,” he said, adding he had said in an earlier speech that he would talk to anyone for the sake of Premier Imran Khan.

Pervez Khattak said in his speech he had talked in details about the performance of the PTI government such as Sehat cards, Ehsas programme but his this part of speech was totally blacked out and only part of it was highlighted to damage him politically.

Khattak said Prime Minister Imran Khan wanted the next Senate election through an open ballot to make the entire process transparent. He believed the political parties, which were opposing the open balloting in the Senate poll, were in fact supporting horse-trading in the election for the upper house of the Parliament.

Pervez Khattak said the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) narrative was headed to failure. “The opposition alliance has failed to bring the people on the roads in protest. It has gone irrelevant,” he added.