The Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives claimed during an interview on Geo TV that '99 percent of the PTI's vote bank belongs to Imran Khan' and therefore any attempts to replace him within party leadership would be futile.
"I reiterate that the nation is standing with Imran Khan and this is the only reason that the Opposition has been unable to harm him," Umar said.
Pivoting to the opposition, Umar said that there was a 'rat-race for leadership going on within the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N),' echoing earlier comments from Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry who had claimed that four senior PML-N members were 'hell-bent on removing Nawaz Sharif from their party.'
Earlier this week, PTI removed MNA Noor Alam from the Public Accounts Committee, after the party lawmaker publicly criticized the incumbent administration. The PTI had served Alam with a show-cause notice over the same comments.
“Members who occupy the first three rows are the main culprits of the chaos in the country, so put their names on the ECL [Exit Control List] and Pakistan will survive,” said the MNA at a National Assembly meeting on January 14, pointing to the treasury benches where the prime minister sat.
He directed the current administration to “kindly get out of your aircraft, your Land Cruisers and BMWs and see the condition of the people.'