It's categorical, PM Imran Khan won't malign institution

ISLAMABAD: Political landscape, in the country, has entered into a decisive phase. More likely, the floor of the National Assembly would be open for debate on no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday. Opposition, as well as government both are 100% confident about respective success, PM says that he has kept his cards close to his chest and is confident that he would shock the opposition on March 27 by playing his trump card.

Question is, what exactly is PM Imran Khan's trump card?

A lot has been said and spread in this regard but it got clarified during a meeting between prime minister and few journalists that this trump card has nothing to do with the appointment or dismissal of an important person.

It's important that during the aforementioned meeting, majority of questions were related to working relationship of government with the military establishment. PM was asked that what is the stance of establishment? Who is on the back of opposition? Replying to these questions PM clarified a point that neither now, nor in the future he would malign institutions.

Participants of the meeting inferred from the answers given by Imran Khan that PM holds a positive opinion about the army chief and he is determined that whatever opposition says about the military, he won't say anything against the military, damaging its repute or leave a negative impression about it.

PM believes that government enjoys massive public support and doesn't need any other support.

PM is also convinced that popularity of PTI government declined at a time in the past, but when people have seen Shahbaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari and Maulana Fazal ur Rehman joining hands to dislodge PTI government, our popularity started to rise again.

PM thinks that when people would see an ocean of public supporting him on 27th March, disgruntled members of PTI and allies would decide to support PTI govt. and institutions too would back the government.

PM also considers a possible defeat in no-confidence motion as his triumph. He thinks, if government is toppled this way, it would add into the support for PTI and people would understand that government was victimised.

PM, during the meeting, was asked again and again that who is backing opposition's move? It is learnt that PM thinks that opposition is doing so to run away from accountability.

It was also discussed that opposition is feared that PM is going to appoint a new army chief in November but PM thinks that opposition's fear is unnecessary and baseless. He also thinks opposition's thinking that civil-military relationships are suffering since November 2021 after a high-profile transfer and since then "one-page" is no more intact, is wrong.

During the meeting, PM nullified this impression that 'Umpire' is with opposition.

PM discarded this impression too that he has already made up his mind about appointing a particular person as army chief, on which institution too has reservations.

According to Prime Minster, no-one is favorite in this regard and merit should prevail in this matter. PM rejected all the news and rumours being spread that he is going to sack a person appointed on important position.

Meeting also provided a clarity that PM has not decided yet to give another extension in term to COAS and he is not thinking about this matter at this point of time.

Recently, rumors of PM changing Usman Buzdar were going around but it could be said after this meeting that PM hasn't decided to change CM Punjab and he is satisfied with performance of CM Punjab and still defends Usman Buzdar.

Besides it, PM rejected accusations of corruption against particular family in Punjab.

It could be deduced from the discussions during the meeting that PM has a clear idea that institutions neither want to indulge in controversy nor want to come up front, but PM thinks that institutions won't remain neutral during the crisis, in the national interest.

PM is satisfied with the performance of his government and thinks that PTI is ready for elections, if it take place anytime after the six months, but it was also felt that he is under no pressure from anywhere for preterm elections.

During this meeting, PM was asked that usage of religious terms and connotations are increasing in his public speeches, what is reason for that, whether PM inclination towards religion has increased or PM is using religion as a card in politics? PM answered that he laid foundation of his party (PTI) on the verse (ایاک نعبد و ایاک نستعین) "thy we worship and thy we ask for help". He further said that he believes since day one that an Islamic State is based on three fundamentals which are Rule of Law, Welfare of public and principle of Amar Bil Maroof (spreading the right), and believes that Pakistan would be made great only by implementing these fundamental pillars of Islamic State.

The meeting of PM with the journalists could be summarised that PM has tied all the hopes from his popularity and he is eyeing that his popularity and public support would be a savior for him.

PM thinks that his 27th March rally would be that successful that all the factors would swing into his favor and game would be turned.