ISLAMABAD: In a brainstorming session, the troika big of opposition political parties – Asif Ali Zardari, Shehbaz Sharif, and Maulana Fazlur Rehman – deliberated on Monday over the legal aspects of the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan with a particular focus on an effective strategy to make it happen in order to avoid any embarrassment in case the motion is defeated.
The all-important political huddle took place at Bilawal House where Zardari, the co-chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), hosted Sharif and Maulana Fazl, to take stock of the situation amid yet another crack within the ruling PTI as its ex-minister Aleem Khan, joined PTI leader Jahangir Khan Tareen’s estranged group.
The sources privy to the development told Business Recorder that after getting a detailed briefing from their respective party legal experts, the trio held a separate meeting to chalk out a final strategy. However, it could not be ascertained what the trio decided as no leader knew anything about the meeting.
They said that the opposition also exchanged views on the situation in the Punjab Assembly after Aleem Khan openly claimed of having the support of 40 lawmakers including 10 provincial ministers.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, PPP leader Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani said that the legal experts of the opposition parties are working on the no-confidence motion and requisition for convening the National Assembly session as well as the role of speaker National Assembly.
He said that all the opposition parties are on “one-page” with regard to the no-confidence motion, adding that the motion would be brought against the prime minister any time soon.
However, he did not give a cut-off date when the assembly would be requisitioned and the no-confidence motion will be submitted, adding the top leadership of the opposition parties would decide it once, the consultation with the legal experts is concluded.
To a question whether the lawmakers continue to receive phone calls from the powers that be allegedly to exert pressure on the parliamentarians, he stated: “We haven’t received any such phone call neither in the past nor now.”
To another query, he said that the opposition parties such as the PML-N and the JUI-F are likely to send their representatives to the PPP’s “Awami March” once it reaches Islamabad.
In his brief chat with reporters, JUJI-F Akram Khan Durrani said that the no-confidence motion would be brought very soon, adding that the situation would get clearer in a day or two.
Earlier in a statement, opposition leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif criticised Prime Minister Imran Khan’s recent remarks about the Western countries, particularly, with regard to the European Union, describing it as “adventurism”.
He warned Imran Khan against giving “irresponsible and ill-informed rants” with regard to the country’s foreign policy and termed this as a matter of serious concern “that may jeopardize national interest.”
“The State and Imran Khan are heading in two completely different directions which is a dangerous omen for Pakistan…Imran Khan has destroyed his political capital and reputation, but he should not be allowed to damage Pakistan’s international political capital and reputation,” he maintained.
“Imran Khan must keep in mind that nations pay the price for such wrong decisions by such leaders at the end of the day,” he warned.
“Such adventurism and experimental approached is not in the country’s best interests especially after PTI’s disastrous internal and foreign policy, record inflation and unemployment,” he maintained.
Referring to the anti-government movement, Sharif said that Imran Khan would “panic more and more now with each passing day and the state of people would get better and better.”
He said that the opposition has decided to bring the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Khan on the public demand, adding that the joint opposition is only acting on the peoples’ voice.
“It has now become inevitable to oust this government to save national economy, financially-crushed people and the future of the nation. The bone-crunching inflation by this government is unbearable for the people and this step is the only way to provide relief to the masses,” he said, adding that the inflation is caused by the “disastrous” policies of the government.
The meeting was attended by JUI chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Yousuf Raza Gilani, Zahid Hamid, Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Khurshid Shah, Naveed Qamar, Ahsan Iqbal, Rana Sanaullah, Khawaja Asif, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Murtaza Wahab, Akram Khan Durrani, and Marriyum Aurangzeb.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022