No-trust motion: Govt allies avoid laying their cards on the table

ISLAMABAD: Political consultations, both in treasury and opposition camps, appeared reaching the final phase on Monday, though government allies avoided announcing the result of their talks with the united opposition determined to make the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan successful.

Sources and political leaders say the opposition parties – Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUIF) – have finalised their future roadmap after the success of no-confidence motion against PM Imran Khan with the help of the government ally parties.

Sources believe the government ally parties may announce their decision on supporting the no-confidence motion after the OIC conference, which will take place in Islamabad on March 21-23.

According to sources, contacts between the three major allies of the government – Pakistan Muslim League Quaid (PMLQ), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) – have progressed fast, and they have converged on the same page through consultations. Sources said the three allies were planning the announcement of their final decision on the no-confidence motion support together.

The MQMP delegation held a meeting with the PMLQ leadership in Islamabad at the residence of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and discussed the political situation as well the no-confidence motion against PM Imran Khan.

The meeting was also joined by GDA member National Assembly Ghous Buksh Mehar, who also held a meeting with the PMLQ leadership. It is expected that the MQMP delegation would hold a meeting with Opposition leader in the National Assembly and President PMLN Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday (today).

Separately, PMLQ leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi held meetings with different political parties on Monday. Federal Minister Ijaz Shah also met the Chaudhrys and discussed political situation.

Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi discussed the situation with his party leaders including Federal Minister Tariq Bashir Cheema, Moonis Elahi, Senator Kamil Ali Agha, Salik Hussain MNA, Hussain Elahi MNA, Provincial Minister Hafiz Ammar Yasir, Mian Imran Masood and others.

Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind, former president of PTI Balochistan, also met Chaudhry Shujaat and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and discussed the situation in Balochistan.

On the other hand, Prime Minister Imran Khan visited the places of the leadership of the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) and Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) on Monday for seeking their support against the opposition’s no-trust motion. He held consultations with GDA leaders including Dr Fehmida Mirza, Ghous Buksh Mehar and Dr Zulfiqar Mirza.

After the meeting, Ghous Buksh Mehar said the PM met them and presented his viewpoint on the no-trust motion and sought support, and the GDA held out an assurance to him that they would support him.

Later, the PM met the BAP leaders at the Parliament Lodges. He was accompanied by other senior PTI leaders, including Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Asad Umar and Dr Shahbad Gill. BAP members included Nawab Khalid Magsi, Zubaida Jalal, Sardar Israr Tareen, Mir Ehsan Reki and Robina Irfan.

It was learnt after the meeting that MNA Khalid Magsi, who is BAP’s parliamentary leader, suggested to the PM not to opt for confrontation and adopt the democratic and constitutional path to deal with the no-trust motion.

To the question about the BAP support to PM, he sounded unsure and said that they were holding mutual consultations and would decide shortly on it. His party had five members in the National Assembly, including a member, on the reserved seat for women.

Magsi regretted that despite the passage of over three years, their concerns had not been addressed, which had been raised several times with the PM. The prime minister also presided over a meeting of his party’s core committee and vowed to teach a lesson to the opposition.

Meanwhile, in a brief chat with the media, Senate Chairman Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani, who also belongs to BAP, denied having a meeting with anyone. “Shah Sahib is a good friend and I have respect for him, but I have met none and no decision has been taken with reference to the no-trust motion,” he added, when his attention was drawn to PPP senior leader Khurshid Shah’s reported offer to two BAP MNAs.

However, Sanjrani said he stood by Imran Khan and would table this proposal to the party to extend support to him. PTI leaders, meanwhile, announced that the voting on no-confidence motion against PM Imran Khan would be held on March 28.

PTI Senator Faisal Javed said the voting on no-confidence motion against PM Imran Khan would be held after March 27, as the biggest public meeting in the history of Pakistan would be held on Sunday, March 27, at Azadi Chowk. He said Prime Minister Imran Khan would deliver a historic address on that day.

In a tit-for-tat move, the PMLN and the JUIF have also given a call for a public meeting in the Capital on the day of voting on the no-confidence motion against the PM.

PMLN Punjab chapter has called the party officials and workers to get prepared to reach Islamabad’s D-Chowk. PMLN Punjab President Rana Sanaullah directed in a message to the party’s provincial, divisional and district officials to make preparations for a power show at D-Chowk in Islamabad. “The party’s leadership will give call and we will demonstrate the people’s power at D-Chowk,” Sanaullah stated in a message.

Meanwhile, Members of the National Assembly met Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday. Those calling on the PM were: Sher Akbar Khan, Saleemur Rehman, Zille Huma, Chaudhry Amir Sultan Cheema, Malik Umar Aslam Khan, Usman Khan Turki, Arbab Amir Ayub, Imran Khattak, Javed Iqbal Warraich, Abdul Majeed Khan Niazi and Niaz Ahmad Jhakar. Special Assistant Malik Muhammad Amir Dogar was also present.

Talking to the MNAs, the prime minister restrained the party leaders from giving any statements against the government ally parties including PMLQ, MQMP and the GDA. The MNAs expressed full confidence in the PM. Imran Khan urged the MNAs to intensify public relations in their constituencies and resolve people’s issues immediately.

However, it seemed Federal Minister for Planning Asad Umar did not listen to the advice of his leader not to criticise the government ally parties. While addressing an overseas conference here on Monday, he said there was only one national party in the country, the PTI, and only one leader of national and international calibre, Imran Khan.

He said the PMLN was a ‘GT Road’ party, PPP belonged only to Sindh’s rural party, Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), as appeared from its name, was a Balochistan party, ANP was only KP’s selected districts party, MQM only Sindh’s urban areas party, PMLQ was a party of only a few districts of Punjab, JUIF was only in KP and few districts of Balchistan.

He said there was only one political leader, Imran Khan, whose followers and voters belonged to all across country, from KP to Khunjerab and Gwadar, as one could find out his supporters everywhere.