INTERNATIONAL DESK: Formally welcoming the key former Imran Khan ally, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) into the Opposition fold, the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said that Imran Khan has lost the confidence of the country’s National Assembly, and therefore, should resign.
“The way of the democracy is that a Prime Miniter, even if he the ‘selected’ one, should resign once he has lost the confidence of the house,” Sharif said during a joint press conference held by the joint Opposition and the MQM-P.
He further said that he does not believe that Imran Khan will take the decision to resign anyway, but hopes that he does.
“I am hoping against hope that he does this (resigns) and establishes a new tradition (in Pakistan),” Sharif said.
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was also present at the press conference and welcomed the decision of the MQM-P.
“The decision that the MQM-P has taken, considering the issues facing, Karachi, our provinces and our country is a historic decision,” Bhutto said.
Earlier today, Pakistan’s Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry had said that Imran Khan will not resign even as the once blue-eyed boy of the Pakistani Army faces defections from his allies and party alike.
“Prime Minister Imran Khan is a player who fights till the last ball. He will not get resignation,” Fawad Chaudhry had said in a tweet in Urdu.
Imran Khan is in a precarious position, with the no-confidence motion against him tabled in the parliament and the voting on the motion expected on April 3.
In a ‘power show’ rally in Islamabad on March 27, Imran Khan brandished a letter, saying that the letter contained the ‘proof’ that he was being threatened by ‘foreign elements’ who seek to topple his government.
Earlier today, Khan announced that he would share the letter with ‘senior journalists’ and ‘key allies’ later today.
The Pakistani National Assembly has a total strength of 342 members, with the majority mark being 172. The PTI led coalition was formed with the support of 179 members, with Imran Khan’s PTI having 155 members, and four major allies Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) having seven, five, five and three members respectively.
Imran Khan’s situation faces imminent ouster given that three of the four allies, that is, MQM-P, PML-Q, and BAP have stated their support for the Opposition’s no-confidence motion, with MQM-P formally joining the Opposition ranks today.
In addition, more than 40 of the ruling PTI’s legislators disappeared on the day of the session of the National Assembly on no-confidence on March 25 and are not expected to be present in the house during the voting as well.
The Opposition parties in Pakistan on the other hand hold the support of 162 members of the house and are expected to be joined by the other parties as well during the vote, helping them cross the majority mark of 172.
Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui claimed the support of 175 members of the house earlier today.
The no-confidence motion was tabled in the house on March 28 with the support of 161 members of the house. (ANI)
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