Minutes after the multi-party alliance, PDM, vowed to table a no-confidence motion in the National Assembly, the PTI-led government on Friday downplayed the announcement, saying the opposition parties lacked the required votes to oust Prime Minister Imran Khan.
“The ‘Pakistan Corruption Limited Party’ met today to bring a no-confidence motion against the government,” Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said in a video statement referring to the PDM huddle held in Islamabad.
He dared the opposition parties to table the no-confidence motion against the government tomorrow, saying “no one has the courage to bring a no-confidence motion against [PM] Imran Khan”.
The minister also said that PML-N President Shehbaz believed that such tactics could save him from indictment by a special court on February 18 in the sugar scam case. “It will not happen,” he added.
Fawad further said Maulana Fazl had been trying to send the PTI government packing from day one “but he has no strength in his arms”. While challenging the opposition alliance to bring the no-confidence motion, he said the ruling party’s lawmakers with the help of opposition MNAs “will give them [PDM] surprise”.
Reacting to the announcement, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid said the entire opposition together cannot defeat PM Imran both inside and outside parliament.
“The opposition is fighting for its survival as they have failed miserably in toppling the government. They don’t have required lawmakers for [no-confidence] motion,” Rashid was quoted as saying in a statement.
The minister added that the opposition parties were now “begging” for support from the government’s allies.
“Neither will they [opposition] bring no-confidence motion nor would they march on Islamabad next month, he added.
State Minister for Information Farrukh Habib in a tweet said the opposition leaders’ facial expressions reflected that they could not bring the no-trust move against Premier Imran.
“The opposition will bring no-trust motion against each other,” he added.
