Fazl claims support of 180 MNAs for no-trust vote

Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has claimed that at least 180 members of the National Assembly (MNAs) are ready to support the no-confidence vote against the government.

The opposition parties need the support of 172 MNAs to pass a no-trust vote to remove Prime Minister Imran Khan from office. The same number is required for the removal of National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser.

Speaking to journalists in Islamabad on Wednesday, Fazlur Rehman said he was 100 per cent certain a no-confidence motion against the government would win.

The PDM chief claimed that the no-trust vote could succeed without support from the Pakistan Muslim League Quid-e-Azam (PMLQ), a key government alley.

Rehman said that the next two to three days were important for the success of a no-confidence vote.

However, it is not clear immediately if the opposition alliance would first move a no-trust motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan or National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser. Rehman said discussions were going on.

Some political pundits believe that removing the speaker first will improve the chances of a successful no-trust vote against the prime minister, as the speaker has a major role in controlling the proceedings of the house.

Fazlur Rehman told journalists that he was in contact with both Pakistan Peoples Party’s Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz’s Shehbaz Sharif and the opposition was trying to muster more support.

Reacting to Fazlur Rehman’s claim, Federal Planning Minister Asad Umar said that the opposition has long made exaggerated claims about a not-trust vote but it never succeeded.

He said in 2019 the Maulana claimed that he would offer ‘good news’ to the opposition within 48 hours, and a similar claim was made by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari but nothing materialized.

Umar said the opposition parties had failed to show numerical strength in the National Assembly and the prime minister was working unperturbed.

Meanwhile, PMLN’s Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and PPP’s Raja Pervez Ashraf, in separate statements, claimed the opposition has the required number to pass a no-confidence motion against the government.

They also said that they do not need support from PMLQ, which has five members in the National Assembly.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Imran Khan visited PMLQ leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervez Ilahi to win back their support, a week after opposition leaders met the Chaudhry brothers.