Nawaz Sharif calls Shahbaz during press conference

ISLAMABAD: PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif telephoned the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and PML-N President Shabaz Sharif as the latter was addressing a press conference.

From their conversation, it seemed that the former prime minister wanted to discuss the current political developments with his brother.

But cutting the call short, Shahbaz told Nawaz that he was in the middle of a press conference and would talk to him later. "I am in a press conference [...] we are in consultation with our allies," he said.

During the question and answer session of the press conference, a journalist asked Shahbaz who was on the call and whether Nawaz was planning on returning to Pakistan.

"No magician was on the call, it was a God's slave [...] Nawaz Sharif will return at the earliest after his treatment," Shahbaz said about his brother who is in London since 2019.

Shabaz also censured Prime Minister Imran Khan, saying his "defeat was imminent" on Sunday — when the lower house is scheduled to vote on the no-confidence motion against the premier.

The Opposition leader said the only cure for an "arrogant and stubborn" man's illness is to oust his government through the legal process — a no-confidence motion.

Shahbaz, responding to the prime minister's allegations of a "foreign power" threatening to oust his government, said: "I do not speak on assumptions. I speak on solid evidence."

Talking about PM Imran Khan's address to the nation held a day earlier where he lashed out at the Opposition for "conspiring with foreign powers", Shahbaz said he does not listen to the premier's speeches as he had made "abusive language" the order of the day.

But Shahbaz noted that since he is the Opposition leader, he receives information from several sources about what an important personality has said.

'Have you no shame?'

"Have you no shame?" Shahbaz said in response to the prime minister's almost 45-minute long speech. The Opposition leader said during the PML-N's government, Nawaz Sharif condemned drone attacks on every forum.

In his address to the nation, the premier had claimed that he was the first politician to raise his voice against drone attacks and that no other politician had done it before him.

"His narrative of accountability has been shattered [...] in the name of accountability, he took the worst political revenge against political opponents," he added.

Lost majority

As the political tensions are on the rise and the voting on the no-confidence motion is right around the corner, the prime minister took the opportunity to speak to the nation and express his thoughts.

The prime minister's long address included accusations against the Opposition and "foreign powers", his 25-year struggle in politics, and the need for following Islam.

The PTI effectively lost its majority in the 342-member National Assembly Wednesday when a coalition partner — MQM-P — said its seven lawmakers would vote with an opposition alliance. Before them, several other allies had switched sides.