Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that it is too late for Prime Minister Imran Khan to get a safe exit or an NRO-like pardon [in national interest] that he says the latter is seeking.

Addressing a press conference along with PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif and other opposition leaders in Islamabad on Thursday, Bilawal said that if PM Imran wanted to leave the government in an honourable manner then he should resign as the prime minister and allow voting on the no-confidence motion against him.

"He should face us in the National Assembly so we can take the country out of the political crisis," stated Bilawal.

Bilawal said PM Imran Khan is now appealing to everyone he can find in order to cling to his office, but "no one can help as there is no NRO, amnesty or backdoor passage for Imran Khan."

Bilawal further said that the premier has been advised by certain people to call the democratic process of the no-confidence vote an international conspiracy. "They are only doing it for their own interests and not in the country’s interest."

Bilawal went on to say that whenever the joint opposition arrived at the National Assembly, the premier got defeated every time. "Now the prime minister has no way to escape as the opposition has shown its numbers by getting the support of 177 lawmakers."

The PPP chairman accused the PM Imran of once again running away from the fight, in reference to Thursday's (today) session of the National Assembly that was adjourned without discussion on the no-confidence vote.

"The opposition has the majority and the allies of the ruling PTI have also joined the opposition benches," Bilawal continued while reiterating that there will be no 'safe passage' for the prime minister.

He said that the way in which PM Imran was elected was controversial but the way he is being ousted is constitutional and democratic.

Constitutional violation

Speaking on the occasion, PML-N President and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif said that the NA speaker has the authority and mandate to conduct voting on no-confidence motion within seven days till April 3 of the motion being tabled.

"The deputy speaker did not allow the debate on the no-confidence motion although it was on the agenda," the PML-N president said, adding that the entire nation saw that 172 opposition members were present in the house.

As per the NA agenda, a debate session was to be held today on the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan.

He further said that NA secretary informed them that the decision regarding not holding the debate related to the no-confidence motion was taken by the deputy speaker.

He said NA deputy speaker once again failed to follow the constitutional procedure by adjourning the session and not allowing the debate on the no-confidence motion.

Speaking about the government’s allegations against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif regarding his involvement in “foreign conspiracy”, Shahbaz said that the people of Pakistan are "ashamed" of the word used by the premier.

“He [PM Imran] is levelling baseless allegations against Nawaz Sharif, accusing him of having contacted Israeli intelligence agencies and inviting them to get involved in national matters of Pakistan,” he said.

Earlier in the day addressing a press conference Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry had alleged that PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif was directly involved in this 'foreign funded' conspiracy.

Regarding the “threat letter”, Shahbaz said that it was a “fraud.” The PML-N leader demanded the premier declare the name of the country that had issued this "so-called threat."

“I was sent a verbal invitation to the NA National Security Committee’s meeting which is not an ethical practice of the Parliament and hence, the joint Opposition decided to boycott the meeting,” he said.