'You can't do opposition while sitting in cabinet': PM Imran on Nadeem Chan's resignation.

Prime Minister Imran Khan believes all cabinet members must stick to decisions taken by the cabinet after thorough discussion or resign if they do not agree with the verdict, but that they "cannot do opposition while sitting in the cabinet".

The premier expressed these views in an interview with Bol News, broadcast on Friday, while talking about the resignation of his aide Nadeem Afzal Chan.

Chan had resigned as spokesperson to the prime minister on Wednesday days after he posted a 'rather meaningful' tweet suggesting he was "ashamed" at how the government had handled the aftermath of the brutal murder of 11 Shia Hazara coal miners in Balochistan's Mach area.

Soon after Prime Minister Imran's remarks suggesting he was being "blackmailed" by protesting members of the Hazara community, who had refused to bury the slain miners until the premier visited them, caused a furore, Chan had tweeted: 'O the bodies of the helpless, innocent labourers, I am ashamed.'

Chan's resignation came a day after the prime minister expressed annoyance during a cabinet meeting that some of its members were opposing the government's decisions and asked them to either accept the same or tender resignation.

Commenting on his resignation during the interview, the premier said: "Nadeem resigned; he must have his own reasons for it."

When asked whether he had resigned because Imran had indirectly censured him for publically criticising the government handling of the Hazara sit-in, the prime minister said: "I don't know."

Prime Minister Imran denied Chan's reported statement that he was asked to resign, saying he "did not ask anyone to resign".

He said the cabinet functioned on the principle of "collective responsibility", meaning all members of the cabinet owned the decision taken by it after debate.

The premier said his cabinet discussed every issue in detail on merit. "But when the cabinet takes a decision, if you...