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Pak PM Imran Khan says no superpower can dictate terms to India: ‘khuddar qaum’
Pakistan Supreme Court rejected the Deputy Speaker's ruling as unconstitutional and directed to hold a sitting of the National Assembly "not later than 10.30 am on April 9" for the no-trust vote against Imran Khan.
A day after Pakistan Supreme Court set aside the National Assembly deputy speaker's ruling on a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan, the cricketer-turned-politician lauded India as “khuddar qaum” (self-respecting people), saying no superpower can dictate terms to the neighbouring country. Khan, in an emotional address to the nation, said that the two countries don't have a good relationship due to the Kashmir issue and the ideology of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS).
"Indians are khuddar quam (very self-respecting people). No superpower can dictate terms to India," he said on the eve of a no-confidence vote.
He added, "I'm disappointed that only due to RSS ideology and what is done with Kashmir we don't have a good relation."
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader reiterated his claim of a foreign conspiracy to oust him, calling it an “attack on our sovereignty”. He also compared the independent foreign policy of India to that of Pakistan.
"We and India got our independence together but Pakistan gets used as tissue paper and thrown away," he said.
Also Read | Imran Khan says unhappy with Pak SC order, calls for Sunday protests
On Thursday, the country’s apex court set aside the dissolution of the Pakistan National Assembly and all the subsequent decisions, a major setback for Khan’s plan to call for early elections.
Expressing disappointment over the court's decision, the Pakistan prime minister said, "I am upset with the Supreme Court's decision. I was upset because when the Deputy Speaker conducted the probe, the Supreme Court should have investigated it.”
He also pointed to the "rampant horse-trading in the opposition camp" and asked, “Which country's democracy allows these kinds of acts?"
"I am upset that when these things are happening openly, I have never seen something like this happen in a Western democracy. I have never seen people sell their conscience. The Supreme Court should take suo moto cognizance of such activities," he said.
