Imran desperately wants umpire to raise his finger: Bilawal

By
Nasim Haider
Pakistan´s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari poses for a photo at the Embassy of Pakistan in Washington, DC, September 27, 2022. — AFP/File
Pakistan´s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari poses for a photo at the Embassy of Pakistan in Washington, DC, September 27, 2022. — AFP/File

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said Chairman PTI Imran Khan is waiting for the umpire to raise his finger by any means, Geo News reported on Friday. 

"Khan sahib desperately seeks any umpire to raise his finger, whether forcibly," he said, in an exclusive interview with Geo News. "However, Imran's effort regarding the umpire's finger is bound to fail."

The PTI takes a U-turn after a U-turn, he said. 

"At first, the PTI tendered resignations, saying that they are prepared for elections. However, when some of their resignations were accepted, Khan sahib said his party will contest elections from each seat," Bilawal explained.

Taking a jibe at the PTI chief, Bilawal said Khan ran away from the Lyari elections, where his competition was with PPP's Nabil Gabol. 

At first, Khan demanded the PTI's resignations be accepted, the PPP chief said. However, when the government started accepting resignations, the PTI approached courts, he said. Bilawal said it is time the courts decided how long they will treat Khan as their favourite.

He said the court will have to follow the law and the constitution. It would be inappropriate for the court to give a verdict to benefit Khan and save him from a defeat in elections, he remarked. 

"How long will the law run per the wishes of the favourite [Imran]?" he asked.

The establishment can't conduct itself at the behest of the ladla [Imran], he asserted.

The PPP chief called upon Khan to trust the masses if he is geared up for the elections. However, he said, "We are busy with the flood relief efforts, not electioneering."

Khan cannot contest by-elections on 13 seats and at the same time, demand general elections, he claimed. 

"How could he demand the general elections?" He said Imran Khan aims to destroy even democracy if he wasn't the prime minister. 

"Imran Khan's game-plan is that he will not let anyone else play if he is not in the game," he said. 

The PPP leader told the PTI chief: "You may protest, launch long march. However, a third of the nation is currently underwater.

He lamented that Khan prefers politics rather than working for the flood situation in the country. Pressing ahead to demand pre-elections is tantamount to leaving humanity in the lurch, he emphasised, hoping that no institutions will take the bait from him. The PPP chief said the flood victims are calling out for help but Khan is busy with his politics.

"All big claims and long marches by Imran Khan fizzled out. He remained unsuccessful in his previous attempts. He will inevitably face failure this time around, too," he said.

Referring to the appointment of the next army chief, he said the November decision will be made in consonance with the law and the constitution. 

He highlighted November will not witness any major storm or a cataclysmic monsoon as the month will pass like other months in the calendar. Imran wants to use November for his politics, he pointed out.