Imran Khan calls for nationwide protests ahead of no-trust vote

Islamabad, Apr 02: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday called for nationwide protest in Pakistan " against a "foreign conspiracy" allegedly hatched against his government.

In a public address, Imran Khan said "Even our Parliament Committee has seen this official document, which says that if you remove Imran you will have good terms with America."

"If (Leader of Opposition & PML (N) leader) Shahbaz Sharif takes over, they will do slavery of America," Imran Khan said a day ahead of trust vote.

Imran said that he has "more than one plan" for Sunday's crucial vote on the no-confidence motion. During a live question and answer session, Khan said right now Pakistan is standing on a "decisive point."

"The politics of Pakistan has reached a point today where the nation has to decide where you want to take the country. A society that stands with honesty and justice takes a new life. But when a society becomes neutral, it begins supporting the bad," he said.

"There's a conspiracy against the government right now and it has been proven that politicians are being bought like goats to topple the government," he alleged. The conspiracy started abroad and some politicians in the country are helping these people abroad, he said.

Khan said he will take legal action against those who "betrayed the nation". "I met my lawyers today and we have a plan. We wont let them go free. All of them will be punished. We will decide by tonight the kind of legal action we want to take against them."

Khan has described the rebel lawmakers as "traitors" and said that they will be branded as such for the rest of their lives as he pleaded with them to come back and foil the Opposition's attempt to topple his government.

Addressing the youth of the country, Khan said: "You don't have to sit silently [because] if you stay quiet, you will be on the side of the bad. I want you to protest and speak up against this conspiracy - not for me but for your future. "I want you to come out and protest today and tomorrow. Come out for peaceful protests," he said. However, Khan made it clear that he does not want any criticism of the Pakistan Army. "We need this army. It has sacrificed for us. I want you to not criticise the army," he said.

"I urge the youth of Pakistan to agitate today as well as tomorrow, raise their voice against this conspiracy by external forces & against 'Mir Sadiq and Mir Jafar' of present-day Pakistan," he added.

Khan, who has promised to bowl an inswing yorker against Opposition leaders for tabling a no-confidence motion against him, is now facing the prospect of being run out in the number game in Parliament on Sunday with key allies deserting him and a sizeable number of rebel lawmakers vowing to vote against him.

Khan, who came to power in 2018 with promises to create a 'Naya Pakistan', is at a critical juncture of his political career as he has lost majority after defection from his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. Two of his allied parties also withdrew their support and joined the ranks of the rejuvenated Opposition.

The 69-year-old cricketer-turned politician is facing the no-confidence motion, which was tabled by the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif on March 28. The National Assembly is scheduled to vote on the no-trust motion on Sunday.

Khan needs 172 votes in the lower house of 342 to foil the Opposition's bid to topple him. However, the Opposition claims it has the support of 175 lawmakers and the prime minister should immediately resign. A defiant Khan has said that he will not resign despite losing the majority and insisted that he will "fight till the last ball" and face the vote of no-confidence in the National Assembly on Sunday.