Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) President Maulana Fazlur Rehman announced on Friday that the opposition is all geared up to table a no-trust motion against PM Imran.
He further revealed that the opposition will contact the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government’s allies in the centre for this purpose.
Fazl, while talking to reporters alongside PML-N leaders Shehbaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz after a meeting of the PDM’s constituent parties in Lahore, stated that “all parties in the PDM have agreed on bringing a no-confidence motion against these illegitimate rulers and contacting the government’s allies in this regard”
He further stated that the PDM would approach the government’s allies and ask them to end their association with the government.
“[We will ask them] to have mercy on this country and nation, considering their impoverished condition,” he added. “[We will tell them] that remaining an ally of such a government was not politically and economically beneficial for the country.”
When asked when the PDM planned to table the no-confidence motion, he replied: “We will first complete our homework.”
He elaborated that they needed to approach the government’s allies as their votes were needed to for tabling the no-confidence motion in the National Assembly.
He went on to state that the opposition alliance would be forming a body, whose members would be decided later, for approaching the government’s allies and convincing on joining the PDM in tabling the no-trust motion.
To another question, he clarified that they would not approach any individuals on the matter and only political parties.
“We will not approach individuals. We will [only] talk to parties.”
When asked about the PDM’s plan if the government’s allies would not join it, he said, “We will sit together..
Fazl added that the PDM would also not approach any PTI members and neither it would lure parties and people with the prospect of giving them seats in parliament.
In regards to the PDM’s long march in Islamabad on Pakistan Day, he said the march would take place as had been decided and the alliance’s steering committee had been asked to work on its details.
It is pertinent to note that the PDM’s announcement has come hours after PML-N Information Secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb, during a presser, stated that opposition parties were deliberating on tabling a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan and the nation would “soon hear good news” in this regard.
Aurangzeb also commented on the awards distributed by the PM among the best performing federal ministries. She stated that the ceremony showed that ministries that were mandated to provide relief to the masses had “failed miserably” as they were not among those recognised by PM Imran. “Ministries including health, defence, foreign affairs, economy and law have all failed,” she said.
The PML-N spokesperson further lambasted the prime minister for allegedly using state machinery to put party President Shehbaz Sharif behind bars. She stated that PM Imran had recently appointed a new head of the Asset Recovery Unit, previously headed by former aide Mirza Shahzad Akbar, and tasked him with imprisoning Shehbaz within a few weeks.
A day earlier, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz stated that the situation for tabling a no-confidence motion against PM Imran was now “favourable”.
The PML-N’s Central Executive Committee meeting on Monday remained unable to decide on moving a no-confidence motion against the PTI government, leaving it to supreme party leader Nawaz Sharif to take a call on the matter when he deemed appropriate.
In a press talk in Islamabad on Thursday, Maryam admitted that Nawaz was initially not in favour of a no-confidence move against the government. But, she said, “party members pressed him that people’s wishes ought to be listened to as it is the only way to steer the country out of crisis.”
As per the sources, former president Asif Ali Zardari and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari had met PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif and Maryam last week in Lahore and pledged to weigh all options to send the premier home, including a no-confidence move and a joint long march.
Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid was quick to respond to the announcement made by the opposition leaders and said that today’s PDM meeting was a gathering of “an unsuccessful and defeated opposition”.
“The failure and early defeat was evident on the faces of the PDM leaders,” he said in a series of tweets, adding that the opposition was welcome to fulfil its wishes by tabling a no-trust move and organising a long march.
Rashid said that the opposition was meeting with the government’s allies to ask for “charity”. “Imran Khan has won. The PDM has lost. The no-trust move has [fallen flat].”
The minister predicted that the opposition would not table the no-confidence motion in parliament and would also not carry out the long march scheduled for March 23. He also congratulated PM Imran on the “win”.
He further stated that the opposition did not possess the “manpower” required to organise a long march and was not even aware of the number of votes it would secure from their own parties in parliament.
“The opposition is not capable of defeating PM Imran inside or outside parliament,” the minister said, adding that the opposition parties were fighting for their survival.
Meanwhile, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry also responded to the PDM’s announcement in a video message, saying that the “Pakistan Corruption Limited Party” had held a meeting wherein opposition leaders had decided to table a no-trust move against the government.
“You sit and talk about things and you think that your indictment, set for Feb 18, will be delayed,” he said, referring to Shehbaz’s indictment in the money laundering case. “It will not happen.”
Chaudhry dared the PDM to move the no-confidence motion by tomorrow, adding that the reality would then become apparent to the opposition.
He further stated that the Maulana had been trying to send the government packing since day one. “Your arms do not have the strength.”
He went on to say that today’s PDM meeting had highlighted the “weakness” of the opposition. “You are still saying that you will talk […] I challenge you to have courage and table a no-trust move by tomorrow,” he said, adding that PTI lawmakers, as well as opposition lawmakers, would give them a “surprise”.
