Pakistan: Imran Khan's confidantes woo estranged ally PML-Q

Islamabad [Pakistan], March 26 : Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's confidantes - Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Defence Minister Pervez Khattak- called on Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), as part of efforts by the ruling party to "approach its allies," ahead of the no-confidence motion.
According to a statement issued by the PML-Q, Khattak and Qureshi conveyed Khan's message to the party's leaders but did not elaborate on what the message was, reported Dawn.
The PML-Q, which has five seats in the National Assembly, is a key ally of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) in the centre as well as Punjab, and the opposition would require its votes in order for the no-trust move against the premier to succeed.
The PML-Q statement quoted Punjab Assembly Speaker Parvez Elahi as saying that PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain would be taken into confidence with regards to today's meeting and that the next meeting between the two sides would be held in Islamabad, reported Dawn.
The PML-Q has assumed much more importance over the past several days -- since Pakistan Democratic Movement chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman formally announced last month the opposition's decision to file a no-confidence against PM Imran Khan and after the motion was submitted with the National Assembly Secretariat on March 8.
Over the following days, leaders from both the opposition and ruling PTI have approached the PML-Q, with each side vying for its support.
As the crucial no-confidence motion session inches closer and uncertainty continues to shroud political alliances, at least 50 ministers belonging to the ruling party have gone "missing" from the political front, Express Tribune said on Friday citing sources.
More than 50 of the federal and provincial ministers have not been seen in public since the opposition began stacking up perils against Prime Minister Imran Khan, the report said.
The Pakistani National Assembly has 342 members and Imran Khan needs the support of 172 members to prove his majority.
The PTI led coalition was formed with the support of 179 members - PTI (155 members) and four major allies MQM-P, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) having seven, five, five and three members respectively.
Imran Khan and his party members seem to be desperately resorting to various means to avert turmoil.
After the move of the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan's government got deferred to March 28 in the National Assembly, his party has intensified its efforts to woo its allies.