ISLAMABAD: The three bigwigs of the opposition political parties – Asif Ali Zardari, Shehbaz Sharif, and Maulana Fazlur Rehman – on Tuesday expressed the confidence to oust Prime Minister Imran Khan through the no-confidence motion; however, they remained tightlipped to divulge the relevant details with regard to the future setup if the move succeeds.
In what appeared to be a show of unity soon after the opposition submitted the no-confidence motion to the National Assembly Secretariat, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif, and Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) president Maulana Fazlur Rehman who is also chief of his own faction of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), spoke with the media in a joint news conference in which they claimed to have acquired the support of more than 172 members of the House for the success of the move.
Zardari said that during the last few days, the joint opposition agreed on this point that it is “now or never”. “That’s why we got together for consultations and came to the conclusion that a single party cannot not take the country out of this difficult situation and we will all have to work together,” he said, adding that they would also talk with those “friends” who are not part of this “movement” to help them work together to rid the country and coming generations out of the difficult situation.
He said that the opposition has also reached the conclusion that if the “destruction” continues with this pace, it will worsen to such an extent where no one will be able to rectify the situation.
No-trust move: 180 MNAs have vowed support: PDM
In response to a question, the confident Zardari claimed that the opposition has the support of more than 172 members required for the success of the no-confidence motion.
“We can get even more than 172 votes. Now you also want me to share their names,” he said in response to a question when asked about the confidence the opposition was showing when such a move was defeated in the Senate where the opposition is in majority. He maintained that the lawmakers within the PTI and their allies are also “fed up” with the government’s performance, as they will have to return to their constituencies and answer to the people.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman maintained that the days of the ruling PTI are now numbered. “You did what you wanted to do…you betrayed the people and the world through ‘fantasies’. Now your days are numbered,” he said in reference to Prime Minister Khan.
Responding to a question about the opposition’s homework for the future set up and any consensus candidate for the premiership if the no-trust move succeeds, said: “Let it be a classified document”.
He continued by saying that “the post no-confidence matters might have been settled or about to be settled.”
He lamented the state of affairs over the past three and a half years of the country during the PTI government and reiterated his previous stance that the current government came to power through the “rigged and stolen” polls of 2018.
He also asked the prime minister to refrain from taking “advantage” of popular slogans against the United States and the West. “You know you and your origin very well,” he further said in a clear reference to Prime Minister Khan, and also reiterated his previous allegations against him to have come to the powers on the behest of “foreign powers”.
He further maintained that the opposition’s move was in the best national interest, adding: “We believe in success [of the no-confidence motion] and the nation will soon hear the good news.”
Maulana also responded to Prime Minister Khan’s recent attack against the opposition leaders, adding that they do not have “enmity” with anyone and only had a difference of opinion, which should be discussed in a political and democratic manner.
Responding to a question, he said that the Constitution is clear about the role of any institution, adding that after the success of the no-confidence motion, they would “lead towards running the country through the Constitution.”
In his remarks, Shehbaz Sharif maintained that the opposition decided to table the no-confidence motion on the “demand” of the people, adding that what the PTI has done to the country’s economy and foreign policy, “has no precedent in the past”.
He said that the rise in inflation and unemployment are among the major challenges, which he said were caused due to the “failed” policies of the government.
He also criticised the PTI government’s foreign policy, saying that friendly countries, who had supported Pakistan in thick and thin, are now angered.
He recalled that PM Khan had leveled “baseless” accusation about electricity and railways projects under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which has “upset” China.
Shehbaz also rejected the premier’s allegations that “foreign hands”are behind the opposition’s no-confidence move against him and termed these allegations as “foolish and baseless”.
“We have taken the decision after extensive deliberations in the best national interest and neither people of the country nor God will forgive in case of any further delay,” he further maintained.
He said that the decision about tabling the no-confidence motion was taken in Monday’s meeting between them and it was kept a secret that it would be submitted on Tuesday.
To a question about the future set up, if the move succeeds, Shehbaz said that it would be a consensus decision after taking input from all the parties.
“No name is decided as yet, we will not disappoint you,” he added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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