ISLAMABAD: In order to ramp up further pressure on the government, the opposition parties, as a major shift in their policy, have now decided to also target Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar through a no-confidence motion parallel to moving the same either against National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser or Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Reliable sources within the opposition parties said a decision to this effect was taken after a series of meetings between the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).
They said that the decision to simultaneously target Usman Buzdar was taken following growing rifts within the PTI’s ranks in Punjab. They pointed out that Jahangir Tareen group, now also joined by another PTI stalwart Aleem Khan, has the support of about 40 lawmakers.
“Usman Buzdar’s position is very weak and he is not liked by most of his own party members,” they added.
It merits mentioning here that the Jahangir Tareen group has so far not announced its strategy regarding the opposition’s proposed no-confidence motions
Sources within the ruling party are confident that the Tareen group will not support the opposition parties in their no-confidence motions, but they admitted that the group members could pressurise the government to replace Buzdar with a person of their own liking.
“In such a scenario, Aleem Khan will be their favorite candidate for the top slot in Punjab,” they said, adding that given the current circumstances, the top PTI leadership may succumb to Tareen group’s demands.
The sources said that the government is maintaining a contact with the Tareen group in order to thwart the designs of the opposition parties.
According to the present position in Punjab Assembly, out of 371 total seats, the PTI has 183, PML-N 165, PML-Q 10 and PPP has 7 representatives. Moreover, there are 5 independent candidates and one representative of Pakistan Rah-e-Haq Party in the assembly.
On the other hand, in the National Assembly, the opposition has around 160 votes in its ranks and for the success of its no-confidence motion either against the prime minister or the NA speaker, they will have to show the support of 172 members.
