Staring at defeat, mercurial Imran Khan goes berserk—mounts personal attacks on top opposition leaders

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Sensing the defeat, the Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan is nervous and his frustrations are showing up. Khan has been resorting to choice words for the combined opposition leaders who have submitted the no-confidence against him on Wednesday.</p>
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“My gun is aimed at Asif Ali Zardari- my first target. The “commission khor” Zardari has been under my radar for a long time,” thundered Imran Khan referring to the former Pakistani President and co-chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).</p>
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Addressing his party workers, Khan said his next target would be the opposition leader in the Pakistan National Assembly Shabaz Sharif, brother of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.</p>
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“The maqsood chaprasi” (peon) and boot polisher, your time has come as well. You know that after the next three months you will be in jail,” exasperated Imran Khan then mocked the third big opposition leader and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, of whom he said “Listen Fazlu — because calling him a maulana (scholar) is a sin”.</p>
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“Fazlu has earned crores by smuggling diesel and that's why he's called diesel, I will not spare him.” Khan said that  Zardari, Shahbaz, and Fazlur Rehman have joined hands not to save the country but to save themselves from him.</p>
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"I was thinking of somehow getting hold of their necks… God listened to my prayer and they submitted a no-trust move. Now they have been trapped and their no-confidence move is going to rebound on them," a furiouss Khan was full of abuses as his “loyalists” and allies have started jumping his sinking ship.</p>
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<strong>Watch Video : Calling names, Pakistani PM Imran Khan threatens opposition leaders</strong></p>
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"Your curses, threats and bullying will have no effect on the no-confidence motion. Imran Khan spoke about the opposition's political death, but his abuses  make it apparent that his own political death is (imminent).The prime minister must be aware that … if you disrespect someone, no one will respect you," Dawn quoted Marriyum Aurangzeb, the spokesperson of Nawaz Sharif’s PML-N party as saying.</p>
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According to Pakistan watchers, the popular perception  is that Imran Khan’s vitriol is driven by a combination of  panic and rage.  The Establishment has turned against him. But the daily in-you-face rhetoric by Imran Khan is a clear sign of immense frustration at what is happening on the political front, with the combined opposition having managed to rustle together a requisition for a no-confidence motion as well as an impressive march towards Islamabad.</p>
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<strong>What are the options for Imran Khan ?</strong></p>
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With the submission of a no-confidence motion by the opposition parties, Khan has immediately lost the power to dissolve the National Assembly.</p>
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“Only the military establishment can save him if it puts pressure on government allies to vote in favour of Khan, which it seems, is not going to happen,”  said one insider adding that Imran Khan is planning to “disqualify” dissident members of his party before the no-confidence vote but legally it is not possible. It can not be done in apprehension, Khan was advised by his legal team.</p>
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Meanwhile, the opposition is also keenly strategising. According to media reports, two of Imran Khan’s friends turned foes – Aleem Khan and the sugar baron Jehangir Tahreen are meeting Nawaz Sharif in London.  Between the two, they control more than 45 members – enough to kick out Imran Khan.</p>
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No surprise, Imran Khan is fuming.</p>
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<strong>Also Read : </strong><a href="https://www.indianarrative.com/world-news/cornered-imran-khan-threatens-opposition-be-ready-to-face-my-wrath-if-your-no-trust-vote-fails-155302.html">Cornered Imran Khan threatens opposition: ‘Be ready to face my wrath if your no-trust vote fails’</a></p>