Big blow to Pakistan PM Imran Khan as ally MQM-P strikes deal with Opposition

In a massive blow to the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government, one of the key allies of coalition government Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) struck a deal with the Opposition Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

MQM-P reportedly reached an agreement late Tuesday night to support the Opposition in the upcoming no-trust vote. A formal announcement is awaited.

An MQM-P spokesperson said that while the draft agreement had been finalised, the party would only announce its decision once the same was ratified by the coordination committee.

MQM-P, a key partner in the PTI-led ruling coalition, has pledged support for the no-confidence motion against Khan.

MQM-P Senator Faisal Subzwari confirmed, first in a tweet and then in an interaction with reporters, that a draft agreement had been finalized and the details will be announced at a press conference.

Subzwari said that the draft agreement would be made public after being ratified by PPP's Central Executive Committee and MQM-P's coordination committee.

This means that Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is set to lose his majority in the National Assembly.

Also Read — Pakistan PM Imran Khan directs his party lawmakers to abstain from voting on no-confidence motion

Prime Minister Khan needs 172 votes in the house of 342 to foil the bid to topple his government. Since Khan’s allies are still not committed to support him and about two dozen lawmakers from within the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf have revolted, the situation was still fluid.

Imran Khan on Tuesday strictly directed his party lawmakers to either abstain or not attend the National Assembly session on the day of voting on the no-confidence motion against him, which is likely to be held in the first week of April.

The instructions came a day after Pakistan's opposition on Monday tabled the no-trust motion in the National Assembly against Khan, who is facing his toughest political test since assuming office in 2018 as defections in his party and cracks in the ruling coalition appeared to have made his position fragile.

In a letter to the PTI lawmakers, Prime Minister Khan, who is the party's chairman, said: "All the members of the (PTI) in the National Assembly shall abstain from voting/not attend the meeting of the National Assembly on the date when the said resolution is set out on the agenda," Geo News reported.

(With agency inputs)

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