Opp throws debate challenge at PM over PTI-led government's policies.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Thursday challenged Prime Minister Imran Khan to have a debate on his policies either in the parliament or any television channel.

Both the parties complained that it is not right that the prime minister comes to the House, address and then leaves without listening to the opposition's point of view. Speaking after Prime Minister Imran Khan's speech in the National Assembly, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said the prime minister's speech was the speech of a 'puppet and selected, for the selectors'. "It was not a speech for the people of Pakistan," he said, adding that the prime minister has no plan to deal with Covid-19 and that he only keeps opposing lockdown.

"Lockdown was the time to increase the health capacity of the country, lockdown was the time to equip your hospitals, lockdown was the time to increase ICU beds in the hospitals, it was the time to plan to protect the lives and the health of the people," he said, adding that Sindh is still doing the most tests according to its population and the patients recovery rate is the highest in the province. He warned that if the situation persists due to the failed policies of the prime minister, no province in the country will be able to take the burden of the number of patients.

"If you want to return the amount to IMF, then do not implement lockdown but it is your responsibility to save people from diseases and save their lives," Bilawal said, adding that the prime minister is not ready to listen to any doctor or health expert. "It is like the time when there was war in Kargil but we kept saying that there is no war and our soldiers were being martyred," he said.

Bilawal said that the foreign policy of the country is in a shambles as everyone knows what has happened to the occupied valley of Kashmir. "Prime Minister's attitude has been one of a coward and puppet. He is the prime minister who had said that the Kashmir problem will be resolved when Narendra Modi wins the elections. India has been elected as a non-permanent member of the Security Council of United Nations securing 184 votes out of 192 and prime minister calls it a good foreign policy? Our relations with China were established by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. During this PTI government, even China complained about irresponsible statements about CPEC," he said.

Taking part in the debate, PML-N leader Khawaja Asif has said that instead of giving...