As Prime Minister Imran Khan is wont to do, he appears to have forgotten that he is prime minister and so is acting increasingly irresponsibly and making speeches and issuing statements that will further damage Pakistan’s external relations and deepen the fractures within Pakistani politics.
In a recent speech, Khan openly not only openly threatened the opposition but called all his opponents names and asked them to be prepared for what he would do to them once their planned no-confidence motion against him fails.
“”First there is criminal number one Nawaz Sharif. If PML-N workers are listening, pay attention: how can a geedar (jackal) become a leader? Have you ever heard of a leader being someone who runs away with his tail between his legs?” Referring to PPP Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari “Mr 10 per cent” Khan said, “The same Zardari was jailed twice by Nawaz on corruption charges.”
As an editorial in Dawn noted, “Such statements can easily incite violence at a time when tempers are running high and logic low. It is therefore advisable that the government de-escalate the situation by making it clear that it will not obstruct the vote of no-confidence and follow the letter and spirit of the law. It should also desist from using incendiary language that can incite passions.”
