New Delhi: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is facing a no-confidence motion in the Pakistan National Assembly, said he would not resign and "will play till the last ball". This comes despite his party PTI losing the majority in the National Assembly.
In a live-address to the nation, Imran Khan said a foreign country was working against an elected prime minister.
"I have received a message. It says we will forgive Pakistan if Imran Khan goes, but if it fails, Pakistan will have to suffer. It's recorded. It was said if Imran Khan remains the PM, our relationship will deteriorate and you will have to suffer. No reason was stated. They are telling Pakistan as if we are their slaves," Imran Khan said in his address.
READ | In Do-Or-Die Situation, Imran Khan Offers Early Elections In Pakistan If No-Trust Vote Withdrawn
Without naming anyone, Imran Khan said there were enemies inside the country who were cooperating with the foreign nation.
"Three stooges are sitting here working with foreign powers. They want Imran Khan to be ousted and want this certain person to take this place and everything will be fine then. 400 drone attacks happened under watch of these 3 stooges," he further said.
On questions raised against his foreign policy, the Prime Minister said that his foreign policies were for not anti-India or anti-US but were for the people of Paksitan.
The 69-year-old said he would return stronger no matter what the result of no-trust vote would be. "Pakistan's future will be decided on Sunday. I am not going to resign. I will fight till the last ball. I will wait and see who all will sell their souls on that day," Imran Khan said.
"When I played cricket for 20 years, the world and those who played cricket with me saw that I play till the last ball. I've never accepted defeat in life. Nobody should think that I will sit at home. I'll come back stronger, whatever may the result be," he said.
Khan needs 172 votes in the lower house of 342 to foil the Opposition's bid to topple him. However, Opposition claims it has the support of 175 lawmakers and the prime minister should immediately resign.
PM Khan started his live address to the nation saying that the country had reached a "defining moment" in its history. "When I joined politics, I had three aims - to ensure justice, humanity and self-reliance," he said.
Prime Minister Khan was earlier scheduled to address the nation on Wednesday but it did not happen.
Earlier on Thursday, PM Khan had offered to dissolve the National Assembly and announce early polls if the no-confidence motion against him is withdrawn by the Opposition.
Pakistan’s Leader of Opposition and Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (PML-N) chief, Shahbaz Sharif had tabled no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan in the National Assembly on Monday, news agency PTI had reported.
Beseiged Prime Minister Imran Khan is facing a no-confidence motion on grounds of infaltion, corruption, and unemployment.
Voting for the no-confidence motion is scheduled to take place on April 3. Situation for PM Khan at the moment seems difficult as his allies, with 23 members, are not on his side and about two dozen lawmakers from within the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf have revolted.