Imran Khan govt loses three major allies ahead of no-confidence motion

Sources cited by Geo News suggest that all three allies of the ruling government will soon (expectedly till March 25) announce to join the Opposition in the campaign to oust Imran Khan.

Pakistan Prime Prime Minister Imran Khan is seemingly unable to catch a break as the ill-fated leader’s government today lost three of its major allies. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) have decided to side with the opposition ahead of the no-trust vote against the Imran Khan government, according to sources cited by Geo News. The sources suggest that all three allies of the ruling government will soon (expectedly till March 25) announce to join the Opposition in the campaign to oust Imran Khan.

Imran Khan’s party is facing an internal coup. Several dissident MNAs of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have deserted the PTI and joined opposition ranks.

Earlier, around 24 lawmakers announced to vote in favour of the no-trust move and dissociated themselves from the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government. The disgruntled lawmakers later took refuge in the Sindh House in Islamabad.

Opposition parties in Pakistan had submitted the no-trust motion in the National Assembly secretariat on March 8. The opposition has repeatedly claimed that the Imran Khan government has lost the majority in the National Assembly and asked the leader to step down voluntarily. Meanwhile, the PTI government has exuded confidence to defeat the no-confidence motion.

In the last few days, Imran Khan has even tried cosying up to Pak Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa in an apparently desperate attempt to save his government.

In the 342-member National Assembly, the Imran Khan government requires at least 172 members to sail through the no-confidence vote.