Slamming Imran Khan for trying to precipitate a clash between the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Punjab on the basis of ethnicity, former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, head of political party Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N), said Imran Khan is acting like "Central Asian invaders" who used to repeatedly attack the Punjab region in ancient times.
Talking to a gathering in Lahore, Sharif said, "You (Imran Khan) are doing what the marauders from Central Asia used to do in the olden times by attacking Punjab. Instead of asking people of KP to invade Punjab, you must instead work for serving them. He should be asked what happened to the five million houses he assured during his tenure by the ardent followers of him such as sheep and goats.".
Nawaz Sharif said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party led by Imran Khan has failed to deliver people's expectations as they only raised slogans and blockades of streets and highways have become their only choice.
The Punjab CM further stated Imran Khan never missed any opportunity to raise his voice against him during the 126-day protest sit-in staged in front of parliament by PTI and Tahirul Qadri's Pakistan Awami Tehreek during the time when he was the prime minister.
"He said he would drag me by the noose around my neck. Such arrogance! Learn humility and fear God. You reap what you sow," said Nawaz Sharif.
Sharif's remarks have surfaced in the wake of open threats by KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, who was upset as his convoy was stopped yet again by the Punjab government from reaching PTI's protest rally in Rawalpindi and Lahore.
Gandapur said that he cannot take these authorities of the Punjab government who were blocking his routes and prohibiting him from entering the Punjab province anymore. He said that if they had fired bullets upon him and his supporters, this time they would return with bullets as well.
Gandapur has been making serious threats and statements, drawing a confrontational line between the Pashtuns of KP and the Punjabis of Punjab province, and lashes out against the CM of Punjab and Nawaz Sharif's daughter, Maryam Nawaz Sharif.
"Now is the time. These fake Punjab and the Federal government of thieves and corrupts will no longer be allowed to assault our people. I want to tell this to you (Punjab govt), when I will come to address the people in Punjab, I will come with my full gear and support. This time, if you fire tear gas and gunfire on my people, it will be responded with double force. If you fire one bullet on us, we will fire three back at you. And when I come, even your father cannot stop me," said Gandapur.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM called for a "revolution threatening to Maryam Nawaz Sharif that she had no idea what Pashtuns can do to Punjabi police".
On the other hand, the Punjab provincial government dared Gandapur to enter the provincial territory, saying he would be arrested and charged in cases related to incitement to violence and riots.
"I challenge you to enter Punjab, Ali Amin Gandapur. I dare you to cross the Attock bridge once. Then you will see what we do with you," Punjab province's Information Minister Azma Bokhari said.
"I want to inform this to Gandapur. Your threat of spreading anarchism and violence would not be tolerated in the Punjab province. You are speaking quite big and opening your stinking mouth every day. If you think of acting on such misadventure in Punjab province, your moustaches will be cut and pasted somewhere else," PML-N's senator Talal Chaudhry said.
Punjab CM also targeted Imran Khan, PTI, and Gandapur, saying, "We work hard here, but these people are busy spreading chaos. Has the person sitting in Adiala jail (Imran Khan) ever said that the people of KP need better facilities? Has there even been a message from jail saying, give them health cards? No, it's always been about setting things on fire. Political activities may be allowed, but terrorism definitely not," said the Punjab CM. Read also| UNSC Members Unite in Support of Guterres After Israel Labels Him 'Persona Non Grata' Read also| Deeply concerned at escalation of security situation in West Asia, Says India
