Opposition defers no-trust vote against PM Khan, for now

ISLAMABAD: The opposition parties have decided to delay its much-talked-about no trust motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan after their failure to woo the major allies of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI). 

Sources in the opposition alliance have confided in Pakistan Today that despite tall claims on media, the opposition could not muster the required numbers and hence it was decided to put off the move for w while.         

Meanwhile, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman told media here after his meeting with Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chief Asif Zardari that the draft of the no trust move against the PTI-led government has been prepared and the motion will be tabled in the National Assembly within the next 48 hours.

"We will move the no-confidence in a day or two... we have a support of majority [of lawmakers]," announced Fazl following a three-hour-long meeting with Zardari.

Responding to a question, Fazl expressed hope that the allies of the PTI government might support the opposition’s no-trust vote to oust Prime Minister Imran Khan.

However, a joint statement issued following the meeting between the two opposition leaders did not mention any date for the no-trust vote.

The communiqué said that it was decided in the meeting that further consultation with the opposition parties will be held on the matter.

The official statement also said PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif also participated in the discussion via telephone and added that the final date for tabling the no-trust motion was deferred for a few days as the latter fell ill.

The statement added that the opinion of legal experts on the no-confidence motion has been sought and both the leaders also discussed the draft of the no-trust move.

On Thursday, opposition parties claimed of having managed to muster the support of enough lawmakers to oust the PTI-led government and they are expected to move a requisition for the National Assembly session on Friday (tomorrow) to move a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Sources said a nine-member opposition committee had completed its preparations to file the no-trust motion.

The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) has finalised the draft of the motion which purportedly has been signed by the over 80 MPs.

The three parties combined have 154 seats in the National Assembly. Overall, the ruling coalition is supported by 176 MPs whereas the opposition enjoys the backing of 162 legislators.

The draft, a formal version of which is yet to be released, claims the country is in a state of economic limbo and there is no clear road map to get the country out of the crisis. There is also an issue of political instability and uncertainty and the government has also failed at the foreign policy front.

The draft further declares the Leader of the House has lost the confidence of the majority of the legislators.

The opposition has prepared a requisition to convene a session of the National Assembly and the chamber of Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif been alerted since the motion as well as requisition can be submitted any time.

The development comes a day after the opposition committee gave its approval to move the motion in the parliament.

The nine-member committee recommended moving the motion as soon as possible, insisting it would be successful even without the support from the allies of the government.

The committee has submitted its recommendations after thorough talks and negotiations with parliamentarians, it said.

Ayaz Sadiq, Khawaja Saad Rafique and Rana Sanaullah Khan represented the PML-N in the committee, while the PPP was represented by Yousaf Raza Gillani, Raja Pervez Ashraf and Syed Naveed Qamar.

JUI-F had selected Kamran Murtaza, Asad Mehmood and Akram Durrani to represent it in the committee.

The opposition has begun to tighten its grip over the government with protest and the looming threat of a motion of no confidence.

PUNJAB CM POST NOT OFF THE TABLE FOR PERVAIZ: PML-N

Meanwhile, the PML-N said appointing Punjab Assembly Speaker and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Pervaiz Elahi as the chief minister of the province is not off the table.

“All I want to say right now is that it is not off the table,” Khan told Geo News, without elaborating any further.

There has been speculation off late that the opposition political parties could appoint Elahi as the chief executive.

However, the Chaudhry brothers, the leaders of the party, have assured the prime minister of their full support.

The party — which is considered pro-establishment, and has five seats in the National Assembly and 10 in the Punjab Assembly — is a member of the coalition, led by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), in power in Punjab and at the centre.

It has assumed great importance since the PDM ramped up efforts to dislodge the government. But in order for such a move to succeed, the opposition would require the support of Q-League MPs in the House.