ISLAMABAD: A day after delivering a controversial speech declaring that thegovernment could not function without him “even for a day”, Minister forDefence Pervez Khattak on Sunday clarified he was in fact “indebted” toPrime Minister Imran Khan.

“Clearly mentioned in my speech for the locals of my village in Nowsherathat I’m sincere & indebted to Imran Khan,” he said in a tweet.

“We are successful in our const[est]. due to our efforts & support of IK[Imran Khan]. We will defeat all opp. parties ganged up against thecandidate we [PTI] are supporting for the by-elec[ion].”

On Saturday, Khattak, while addressing a meeting of supporters in hisnative district of Nowshera of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said: “I can takewhoever I want to the heights [of success] and make zero whoever I want andthis is a result of my hard work.”

He also said he was “competing against the entire country.” “If I do [notwant it to], Imran Khan’s government would not function even for one daybut I am indebted to him.”

“I do not only handle government officials but also deal with members ofthe opposition. Everyone respects me.”