Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb has hit back at former prime minister Imran Khan’s warning to the government for early elections, saying that “PTI’s victory in the by-elections does not give it a licence to invade federal capital”.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Monday, the minister said the PTI chief had no right to threaten the coalition government with long march if snap polls were not announced.
Marriyum said PTI’s defeat in Karachi’s Malir and Multan by-elections were a “referendum” against Imran Khan.
“He [Imran] remains silent when a decision comes in his favour but insults Election Commission when he faces defeat in the elections,” she added. In a separate statement, Marriyum said the by-election results had shattered the narrative of a “foreign funded fitna” (Imran Khan) who bent upon maligning the state institutions by hurling accusations, abuse and threats. She questioned the rationale behind the narrative pursued by Imran Khan ‘against state institutions’ after his win on six seats of the National Assembly in Sunday’s by polls.
“Will the ‘absolutely fraud’ demand resignation of the chief election commissioner in his press conference today. Will the ‘foreign agent’ make a speech against the ‘neutrals’ today,” she said while posing a series of questions to Imran Khan.
She ridiculed Imran for celebrating the PTI’s further loss of two seats in the parliament, saying PTI still lacked the magic number of 172 — which is required to oust an incumbent government. She said Imran could not dictate the government and parliament after losing two of his own seats in the by polls. He could not change the government by attacking the federal capital and creating anarchy in the country.
