Friday 26 / April / 2024
Muscat: While Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan was ousted on Sunday when he lost a vote of confidence in Parliament, he still remains the first choice as head of the country among the Pakistani nationals residing in the Sultanate of Oman.
If not all, a majority of the expats based in Oman believe that there is no ‘better’ candidate than Khan to run for the post of the country’s Prime Minister (PM).
Talking exclusively to Times of Oman on who they see as the next PM in the upcoming elections which, according to Pakistani media, is scheduled next year in August, the Pakistani citizens emphatically said Khan.
““I see and will vote for Imran Khan only. After watching the betrayal in parliament, including our state institutions and corrupt political mafia, it clearly showed that this change was forced on the orders of some foreign party(s),” Muhammad Khurram Malik, an engineer based in Muscat said.
He continued: “He stood tall. It was him alone vs. all the power houses. I don’t think we can have a better leader than him. What really upsets me is that until the next elections we will be governed by a PM with corruption charges, and is that okay? All court establishments are supporting him. It’s hard to digest.”
Moreover, Huzaifa Ubaid, founder, Pakistan Awaits, said there is nothing more important than the Constitution of Pakistan, and he believes that one of the biggest strengths Khan has is the support of the overseas Pakistanis who will be by his side until the very end.
“Whatever the fate of the country, it pretty much lies in the hands of the youth. The Pakistani youth, the Pakistani people and those who actually love and care about Pakistan are with Imran Khan, and he is not alone.
“There is a democratic process and there are rules in the country that everyone has to adhere to, and I think the most important of all things is the Constitution of Pakistan that shouldn’t be compromised at any cost. Another thing that shouldn’t be compromised is the integrity of the country and the sovereignty of Pakistan,” Ubaid said.
He added: “So, whatever decision has been taken, the world needs to know that the youth of this country is standing with Imran Khan. We haven’t lost hope. We will keep on fighting to get where we need to be. Our votes are always with him. The overseas Pakistanis are always going to be with him and I think that’s one of the biggest strengths he has, and of course, most importantly, Allah.”
Mohammed Zaeem, a senior management personnel at a chain of pharmacies in Oman, shared similar sentiments. “With this move, Khan has got more popular and I believe he will make a clean sweep in the next elections by having a majority. The people of Pakistan, especially overseas Pakistanis, are looking forward to a positive change and considering the current scenario, I believe Khan will be the best choice as compared to other leaders,” Zaeem said.
On the other hand, Qamar Riaz, a writer, poet and philanthropist residing in Oman believes that the newly-appointed PM of Pakistan until the next elections has a chance to prove himself and give tough competition to Khan.
“The newly formed government has got a brilliant candidate, Shahbaz Sharif, to work as the PM for at least one-and-a-half years starting from today. If he proves to be progressive during his tenure and brings relief to the people of Pakistan, there will be chances of him running against Khan in the next elections,” Riaz added.
(The writer is a Pakistani journalist who works with Times of Oman )
