April 3 'darkest day in history of Pakistan': Joint Opposition leaders

April 3 'darkest day in history of Pakistan': Joint Opposition leaders

Islamabad (Web Desk): The leaders of joint Opposition lashed out at Prime Minister Imran Khan and termed April 3 as the darkest day in the history of Pakistan.

Addressing a press conference alongside Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairperman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Asad Mehmood, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) Chief Akhtar Mengal and others, Opposition Leader in the National Assembly and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Shehbaz Sharif said PM Imran Khan imposed civilian martial law like General Pervez Musharraf who also took a similar unconstitutional decision on November 3, 2007.

He termed the four-year tenure of the former PTI-led government a period of “an individual government, totalitarian and fascist.”

"Imran Khan, along with his party members, have blatantly challenged the Constitution of Pakistan," he said.

On March 24, speaker of the National Assembly Asad Qaiser granted leave to the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan, according to the will of the House.

Recalling Sunday’s ruling of the NA deputy speaker regarding the no-confidence motion, he asked, "if Qasim Suri termed the motion as 'unconstitutional', why wasn’t it raised earlier?"

"PTI used Article 5 to prevent themselves from the embarrassment that they would have faced after their defeat in case of voting on the no-confidence motion," Shahbaz said.

Speaking on the ocassion, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari prayed the JCJP to constitute a full court bench to decide about the ruling of the Deputy Speaker on no-confidence motion and subsequent dissolution of the National Assembly. He said we will continue to defend the constitution.

JUI-F leader Maulana Asad Mahmood said, adding that PM Imran Khan is trying to pressurise the institutions.

Mahmood said that they [the joint Opposition] will not accept international pressure being imposed under the guise of a “threat letter”.

He suggested that the higher courts of Pakistan hold him PM Khan accountable for his statements regarding the credibility of judges.