Earlier, Imran Khan said on Friday last that a leader who does not take U-turns according to the requirements of the situation is not a real leader. During an interaction with journalists at the PM House, the premier had cited an example from his cricket days when he led Pakistan's national team saying, "We used to make a strategy and then step out into the field but if the opponent team formed a strategy against ours then we would have to change it."
The statement by the prime minister was severely criticised by members of the opposition, whereas his party members defended it. Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Khursheed Ahmed Shah was the first to react and said on a news conference in Sukkur, "Imran Khan is Hitler and is taking U-turns to avoid losses." Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and former federal minister Khawaja Asif said, "Imran Khan will take a U-turn on his U-turn statement as well. Please wait it won't be before long."
Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) secretary general Raza Haroon tweeted that taking a U-turn was not a good characteristic for any leader. President Arif Alvi came forward in the prime minister's support and during a visit to a shopping mall in Lahore, the president said, "Decisions are taken according to situations." Sindh Governor Imran Ismail also came out in support of Prime Minister's statement and said, "Prime Minister Imran Khan's statement regarding U-turn was correct." He added, "Until a leader doesn't take a U-turn, he cannot take big decisions."