Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has said that every day he is told by someone that it, or the day after, is his last in power, but he knows he can “easily complete his five-year tenure”.

Addressing a dinner reception hosted at the PM House to muster support of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers as well as coalition partners for the passage of budget 2020-21 in the face of its rejection by the joint opposition, the premier asserted that his government would definitely complete its five-year term because he was determined to face every challenge.

“I am the only choice,” he said, adding that all rumours regarding his government’s uncertain fate and the challenges facing his administration would cease to exist “if he strikes a deal with people”.

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He was of the opinion that opposition leaders had a bigger stake than the ruling PTI.

According to Dawn, a participant of the event quoted PM Imran as saying that the members of opposition parties had a bigger stake because if PTI leaders lose the election they would only lose their seats while “if opposition leaders lose them, they would go to jail”.

Responding to the allegation that the government was being run by a team of non-elected people, the premier said, “If we have included some non-elected members in the cabinet, they [opposition parties] had filled the slots with their relatives.”

He reportedly also asked PTI leaders and all government allies to get the budget passed on Monday with a significant majority and spoke about the recent hike in petroleum prices, corruption as well as coronavirus in the country.

The function concluded after the PM’s address, as no one spoke after him on the occasion.

As many as 14 MNAs belonging to the Imran-led PTI, Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) Baloch­istan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M), Pakistan Awami Muslim League (PAML) did not attend the dinner, reports said.

It merits a mention that a day later, the National Assembly has approved the federal budget for the fiscal year 2020-21, despite the opposition’s vow to not let it sail through the house.