Pakistan opposition leaders to meet today to discuss no-trust motion strategy
Mar 19, 2022
Islamabad [Pakistan], March 19 : The heads of the Pakistan opposition parties will meet today to discuss strategy regarding the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan, local media citing sources reported on Saturday.
The News International citing sources said that the opposition's huddle will be held at the residence of the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif in Islamabad.
PDM chief Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, Balochistan National Party chairman Akhtar Mengal, Awami National Party's Ameer Haider Khan Hoti, and other leaders will be among the attendees.
A number of dissident lawmakers from the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have said they would vote on the no-confidence motion tabled against Imran Khan in "accordance with their conscience".
In response to this, Cabinet ministers of the Imran Khan government asked Pakistan's top electoral body to play its role over reports of floor-crossing of the members of the national assembly (MNAs), under Article 63-A.
The Opposition parties in Pakistan are jettisoning mutual hatred to oust Imran Khan as they submitted the no-trust motion in the National Assembly secretariat on March 8. While the Imran Khan government has exuded confidence to defeat the no-trust motion, the Opposition is sure that they will oust Khan.
Earlier, the opposition parties rejected the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government's offer for withdrawing the no-trust motion against Prime Minister, the opposition has made it clear that the resolution will only be withdrawn if the premier announces his resignation, reported local media.
This comes as Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry on Sunday offered the Opposition a deal to withdraw the no-confidence resolution, saying "let's see what can be given in return", reported The News International.
However, the Opposition rejected any option of having negotiations with the government on the subject of the no-confidence resolution.
"Our no-confidence motion is not about dissolving assemblies, rather than it is to oust this incompetent government, who has ruined the economy and shown insensitivity towards the masses," the media outlet quoted Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) Rana Sanaullah as saying during a Geo News Programme on Monday.
"Government did not even bother to shake hand with the Opposition in last four years, therefore now, no dialogue will be held with the government," he added.
