'Foreign funds' being used to attempt regime change in Pakistan: Imran Khan

Islamabad [Pakistan], March 27 (ANI): Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday, ahead of a no-confidence motion in the National Assembly, said that with the help of foreign funds 'some people' are knowingly trying to topple the government, adding that he is being threatened by outside elements who are trying the get control the foreign policy of the country.
Showing evidence of 'foreign funds', Khan read out a letter at the rally, "An effort is being made to topple the government with the help of foreign funds in our country. Our people are being used. Mostly unknowingly, but some knowingly are using this money against us (Imran Khan government). The Pakistani people have to decide whether they would let them (the people who have taken foreign funding to topple the government) succeed. This is why I had called you today."
"We know which are the places from where the pressure is being exerted on us. We will not compromise on the interest of the country. I am not levelling allegations, I have the letter which is the proof," the Pakistan Prime Minister said waving a letter to the crowd in his hand.
Imran Khan further said that the "governments were changed with the help of people living in Pakistan and recalled former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's execution due to the circumstances prevailing in 1979."
"Our country was being threatened because of the deeds of our old leaders. The governments were changed with the help of people living in the country. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto when he tried to bring in a free foreign policy to the country, then Fazal-ur-Rehman and absconder Nawar Sharif, their parties did the movement against Bhutto and situations like today were created. Bhutto was given capital punishment due to the circumstances," Khan said.
The Pak PM refrained from reading out the entire content of the letter and said that "many things would be brought to the fore at the right time".
"There are many things which will be brought to the fore soon at the right time," he said.
Imran Khan also hinted against the speculations of his tendering resignation.
"As I collect more and more taxes, I will spend them on our community. It is my promise that when we will complete five years, Pakistan would witness that our government will reduce poverty that no government in the history of Pakistan has ever done that," he said.
"They have decided to topple our government. I want to tell you that no other government has performed in a way in three and a half years that we have done," Khan added.
Pakistan PM said that time has changed and his government "wouldn't accept the slavery of others." "We will forge friendships with everyone. We won't become be slaves."
The show of strength by Imran Khan comes as the opposition geared up for a no-trust vote in the National Assembly to oust his government. This comes as the opposition has geared up for a no-trust vote in the National Assembly to oust his government over massive corruption, unemployment, inflation and price hike.
Earlier, rumours of Imran Khan resigning from his office were rife after the renaming of Pakistan's Prime Minister's Office YouTube channel to "Imran Khan" on Saturday.
The no-confidence motion was submitted by the Opposition parties on March 8 after the Pakistan People's Party's (PPP) long march in Islamabad. The Opposition has been confident that its motion would be carried as many PTI lawmakers have come out in the open against PM Imran Khan.
As the crucial no-confidence motion session inched closer and uncertainty continued to shroud political alliances, at least 50 ministers belonging to the ruling party had gone 'missing' from the political front.
The Pakistani National Assembly has a total strength of 342 members, with the majority mark being 172. The PTI led coalition was formed with the support of 179 members, with Imran Khan's PTI having 155 members, and four major allies Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) having seven, five, five and three members respectively.
Imran Khan's situation was precarious given that three of the four allies, that is, MQM-P, PML-Q and BAP had stated their support to the Opposition's no-confidence motion and said that they will vote accordingly.
Imran Khan recently dispatched a team of senior PTI leaders to meet the allies and assure them that their reservations would be addressed. On Saturday, it was reported that the Prime Minister was himself setting up meetings with the estranged allies, particularly the MQM-P in order to reach an understanding. (ANI)