No-trust move: Joint opposition says it enjoys support of ‘190 plus’ lawmakers

ISLAMABAD: After a week-long rendezvous with allies of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the joint opposition on Monday claimed to get the support of “190 plus” lawmakers to pass the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Sources privy to the development told Business Recorder that the opposition is in a comfortable position as it has managed “190 plus” lawmakers together with the support of the government’s allied political parties.

At a dinner hosted in honour of the joint opposition by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif – attended by the bigwigs of the joint opposition – the strategy for the success of the no-trust move was reviewed.

Informed sources told this correspondent that all the matters have been finalised with the government coalition partners in return of their support to the no-confidence motion.

They claimed that if the no-trust move succeeds, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM) would retain the current two ministries in the federal government, besides getting an appropriate share in Sindh provincial government; and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) would also retrain the current two federal ministries and will get the slot of chief minister in Punjab.

Similarly, they maintained that the remaining ruling allied parties, including Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) would also be accommodated accordingly in the next set up, if the no-trust move against the prime minister succeeds.

The dinner reception was attended by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, along with Yousuf Raza Gilani, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Sherry Rehman, Nayyar Bukhari, and Naveed Qamar.

PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif, JUI-F chief and PDM president Maulana Fazlur Rehman, ANP’s Ameer Haider Khan Hoti and Aimal Wali Khan, BNP-Mengal’s Sardar Akhtar Mengal, and other opposition leaders including Prof Sajid Mir, Shafiq Tareen, Mir Kabir, and Owais Noorani along with their respective party delegations attended the dinner reception.

Through a joint statement issued after the meeting, it stated that the meeting held detailed discussions the overall situation in the country and the no-confidence motion and important decisions were finalized.

“The meeting declared that in order to save the people of Pakistan from this oppressive, corrupt, incompetent and incompetent government plagued by historic inflation, poverty, unemployment and economic catastrophe, the joint opposition, following the path of the Constitution, tabled a no-confidence motion,” it stated.

The meeting alleged that the PTI government has compromised Pakistan’s economic sovereignty, endangered national interests and inflicted significant and critical national interests on successive failures on the foreign front.

It stated that the government has angered the close and trusted friendly countries and isolated Pakistan in the world.

The issue of Jammu and Kashmir, which was illegally occupied by India, was deeply hurt and it failed miserably in defending the aspirations and interests of Kashmiris and Pakistanis.

“The no-confidence motion moved by the opposition against the Prime Minister is a manifestation of the aspirations of the people and the aspirations of 220 million people. Instead of confronting this constitutional step within the constitutional, legal, parliamentary and democratic realm, the incompetent Prime Minister and his government have resorted to unconstitutionality and chaos,” it stated.

The meeting declared that Members of the National Assembly are being publicly threatened with being barred from entering the House.

It further stated that the government has announced to hold a rally at D-Chowk as a ploy to intimidate, threaten and coerce, and the joint opposition makes it clear that the government should not take the path of chaos, anarchy and confrontation.

“It should not become a rebel against the constitution. Under the constitution, members of the National Assembly have the basic duty and right to perform their constitutional, democratic and parliamentary duties freely. No restrictions can be placed on their movement, nor can they be barred from voting. Depriving them of these responsibilities is tantamount to sabotaging the Constitution of Pakistan, the punishment of which is clearly stated in Article 6 of the Constitution,” it further stated.

PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif invited the PPP to attend a public meeting on March 23 as per the schedule announced by the PDM, which the PPP leadership accepted.

The meeting stated that full solidarity with Parliament, Constitution and democracy would be expressed through a historic public meeting on Shahra-e-Dustur. “If an unfortunate situation arises due to fascist, dictatorial and unconstitutional government measures, then the Prime Minister and his government will be responsible,” it warned.

The meeting strongly condemned the government ministers “threatening” statements against the lawmakers who would be participating in the voting on no trust motion and termed it as a direct threat to the members of the National Assembly.

“Not only is the incompetent Prime Minister himself threatening to shoot political opponents and national leaders of the country’s main political parties at crowded rallies, but his ministers have become suicide bombers and are announcing attacks on political opponents. This attitude is a vicious conspiracy to spread anarchy and civil war in the country, which deserves less condemnation,” it added.

“If any leader or party member is harmed then the culprit will be the incompetent Prime Minister, Federal Ministers and this government,” it added.

• These statements prove that the government has lost, cannot meet the number of 172 members. Therefore, it wants to stop the members of the National Assembly through the illegal force of the police and other agencies. We make it clear that the government is becoming a criminal under Article 6,” it stated.

• The meeting warns that the Constitution of Pakistan bounds the Speaker to convene the session within a specified period— within 14 days after the recusal and to hold a vote of no confidence in the House within 7 days.

The meeting warned that the first agenda item in the National Assembly session convened under Rule 37 (8) of the Parliamentary Rules is to table a no-confidence motion. If the Speaker deviates from it, it will be a clear violation of the Constitution and Rules, it added.

*The Opposition urges the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to give an immediate verdict in the foreign funding case in which Imran Khan Niazi and his party have been found guilty by a certified SBP record. It’s been seven years already. Therefore, fulfilling the requirements of law and justice, a decision should be taken on the hearing of this case on March 15, 2022, it demanded.

The leaders of the joint opposition, while expressing their full confidence in PML-N President and Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif, said that the numbers have been completed, “go ahead, we are with you.”

“The Leader of the Opposition is ready to take decisive action for the success of the no-confidence motion,” it added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022