Amid horse-trading fears, two PTI MPs defect to opposition

— PTI vows not to allow turning of Sindh House into horse-trading hub

— Government planning to ‘assault’ lodges, PPP claims 

— Report says government may call fateful session on March 21

ISLAMABAD: A day after claims emerged of opposition Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) alliance “detaining” at least a dozen ruling MPs ahead of the crucial vote on the no-confidence motion, two of them came out in the open on Thursday, declaring they would vote against the prime minister in “accordance with their conscience”.

Raja Riaz Ahmad Khan and Malik Nawab Sher Waseer, both former Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) stalwarts, had joined the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) shortly before the 2018 general elections.

Talking to Geo News, Khan, who is also a member of the disgruntled group led by Jahangir Tareen and remained senior Punjab minister during 2008-2013, claimed around 24 ruling MPs were staying at the Sindh House, citing fears of disciplinary action against them.

The revelation of MPs staying at the accommodation was made by Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi who, during an interview, claimed “10-12 lawmakers from the ruling party had gone missing” and were being held at Sindh House in Islamabad.

Responding to the claim, a PPP MP, while admitting the presence of lawmakers at the accommodation, told a press conference they belonged to his party and PDM component parties.

They were staying at Sindh House in the wake of “threats by the government” and the March 10 police raid on Parliament Lodges to take out gunmen belonging to the armed wing of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), said Faisal Karim Kundi.

Today, a meeting of the PTI parliamentary party, chaired by the prime minister, decided the government won’t allow the opposition to turn Sindh House into a horse-trading hub, Geo News reported, citing people familiar with the development.

The participants of the meeting also decided in principle to order civilian intelligence agencies to “closely observe the location, mobile phone data and the movement” of suspected MPs, and report to Imran Khan on a daily basis.

Meanwhile, Khan reportedly tasked Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Minister for Defence Pervaiz Khattak with wooing disgruntled MPs of the party.

The meeting also agreed to call the fateful National Assembly session on March 21, instead of the earlier agreed-on date of March 28, and empowered Khan to take the final decision in this regard.

PPP CLAIMS GOVT PLANNING TO RAID SINDH HOUSE

Hours before the meeting, a group of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MPs blamed the government for “terrorising” the opposition legislators.

In a joint statement, the MPs — Abdul Qadir Patel, Abdul Qadir Mandokhel, Abid Hussain Bhayo, Javed Shah Jilani, Ehsan Mazari, Naveed Dero and Mehreen Bhutto — said the government of Imran Khan was now planning to “launch an assault” on the Sindh House by sending what they claimed are the “goons” from the Tiger Force, volunteer wing of PTI.

The MPs further claimed their lives were unsafe even at the Parliament Lodges.

The statement further declared the women MPs of the party residing in Islamabad did not feel secure.

“Islamabad police is behaving like ‘Gullu Butt’. if there was any damage to Sindh House’s facilities or to their lawmakers, the government would be responsible and it would amount to a violation of the law and the Constitution.”

The statement demanded protection from Sindh police, saying they did not trust the Islamabad police anymore.

NOTE-TRUST VOTE:

The vote on the no-trust motion moved by the multi-party Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) alliance of opposition groups will be held on March 28.

The motion seeking the ouster of Imran Khan was submitted to the office of National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser on Tuesday. It accused him of mismanaging the economy and poor governance in the toughest challenge he has faced since taking power in 2018.

With the help of several smaller parties, the PTI holds a narrow majority in the National Assembly. It has 179 seats in the 342-member House, only seven more than required for a simple majority.

If none of the MPs from the ranks of the prime minister’s allies or the PTI vote against him, he will likely succeed. However, the PTI is currently facing a split because of an internal revolt by some members.

The opposition, on the other hand, has 162 members and needs a simple majority of 172 to topple the government.

Should Khan fail to win approval, the parliament will have to choose a new prime minister.

Khan has vowed to fight any move to unseat him. “Whatever they do, I’m ready for that,” he told a gathering in Islamabad last week.

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