Pak PM says talks with Imran Khan possible only if PTI chief apologises to public

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said that talks between the central government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan will be possible only if the former prime minister admits his wrongdoing and apologises to the people for all the things he has done. 

In a fiery address at the National Assembly on Tuesday, the PM said that he was of the opinion that talks between them will start after Imran Khan says sorry to the public. Labelling Khan as a “fraud”, PM Sharif said that it was not possible to talk with someone who had looted the country, attacked the judiciary and did not believe in the Constitution and justice until he publicly apologised to the people and admitted to having caused damage to the country and the Constitution, as reported in Geo News. 

According to ARY News, the PM stated that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan had violated the International Monetary Fund agreement. Pakistan’s debt has surged by 70 per cent during the tenure of his government, Pakistan PM claimed and added not a single project was initiated. 

'Friendly countries got annoyed with Pakistan during Imran Khan’s regime': PM Sharif 

Taking a dig at the PTI Chief, PM Shehbaz said: "PTI Chief first blamed the US for removing him from the post and then took a U-turn and said that the conspiracy was not planted by America." He further asserted that the differences in society are increasing and one segment of society thinks that Imran Khan’s government was removed through ‘US intervention’, and the incumbent government is ‘imported.’

Claiming that friendly countries got annoyed with Pakistan during Imran Khan’s regime, the premier said that they are trying to repair ties with the friendly countries and the superpower US. While addressing the assembly, Sharif came up with another claim that Khan has hired firms for lobbying in the United States, according to ARY News. 

Sharif further said: "During his (Imran Khan) regime, he used to claim that Opposition members are thieves and they should not meet with the foreign envoys but now he is meeting with the foreign ambassadors in Opposition."

Maintaining that lobbying firms are giving statements against Pakistan, which is not acceptable, PM Sharif said: "No one is making him accountable for denting’Pakistan’s narrative. Enough is enough, now the law will take its course.”

Further, the prime minister also criticised social trollers of Imran Khan for politicising the Lasbela tragedy in which a sitting lieutenant general and other high-rank officers were killed while carrying out relief and rescue operations, as per the report in ARY News.

In August, the six army personnel on board including Lt Gen Sarfraz Ali died in a crash that was caused due to bad weather, according to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

“The wreckage of an unfortunate helicopter which was on flood relief ops found in Musa Goth, Windar, Lasbela. All 6 officers and soldiers including l Lt Gen Sarfraz Ali embraced shahadat. Accident occurred due to bad weather as per initial investigations,” Director-General (DG) ISPR said in a tweet.