- Zardari assures Fazl of PPP’s support for no-trust motion against PM
LAHORE: With the calls of ousting Prime Minister Imran Khan and Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaisar through an In-House change, the opposition parties have accelerated efforts to materialise their plans.
In a telephonic conversation, former president and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chief Asif Ali Zardari Saturday assured Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman that his party would not only fully back the no-trust-move against Prime Minister Imran Khan but it would also support a similar motion against Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaisar.
The PPP co-chairperson gave the assurance to Fazl when the latter called the former to inquire about his health.
According to sources in the PPP, the two leaders discussed the current political situation of the country and measures being taken by the Opposition to oust the PTI government through an in-house change.
The former president assured the PDM chief that he stands with the Opposition while Fazl shared that he would contact the government allies soon.
Separately, Fazl also visited the leadership of the incumbent PTI government’s ally, PML-Q, in Lahore. He met PML-Q leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Pervaiz Elahi.
Sources said that Fazl asked the PML-Q to support the Opposition in its no-confidence motion against the government. They added that the PML-Q leaders assured Fazl that they would soon summon a party meeting. Chaudhrys also told Fazl that they also would soon eb holding a meeting with Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif in this regard.
“The current PTI government has wreaked havoc with the lives of the people with inflation,” Fazl was quoted as saying, adding, “This is the only government with which no one is happy.”
“Even the government’s allies are not happy with them,” Fazl told the PML-Q leaders.
On the other hand, the Chaudhry brothers told Fazl that their party has had a “long traditional association” with the PPP and the JUI-F.
“Whatever is better for the country we will decide soon,” said the Chaudhry brothers, but did tell the PDM chief that they do have some “reservations” with some Opposition parties.
Fazl’s call with Zardari and meeting with PML-Q comes a day after he announced that the Opposition alliance, PDM, has unanimously decided to move a no-confidence motion against the incumbent PTI prime minister Khan.
Fazl made the announcement at a press conference flanked by Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz and Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz.
Fazl said the alliance would approach the government’s allied parties to have them on board so as to acquire a voting majority in the National Assembly — a prerequisite to bringing about a no-confidence motion against the prime minister.
The PDM chief went on to say that all Opposition parties that were present during the meeting have decided that this “illegal government should be sent packing.”
Minutes after the announcement, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said that the move will serve as a “victory for democracy.”
Taking to Twitter, Bilawal wrote: “It is a victory for democracy that most Opposition parties now agree to bring a no-confidence motion against the government. The PM has lost the confidence of the people, it is about time he lost the confidence of Parliament.”
