ISLAMABAD - In a blow to the ruling Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf-led government, the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) yesterday announced to join the opposition ahead of the no-confidence voting against Prime Minister Imran Khan.
President Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians and Asif Ali Zardari, PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) President Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan Democratic Movement President Maulana Fazlur Rehman have welcomed BAP into the opposition fold.
Speaking at a joint news conference after the announcement, Zardari said the opposition can serve the people of Balochistan. “If there is Balochistan, there is Pakistan. We will make Shehbaz Sharif the Prime Minister,” he added.
Bilawal on the occasion said that the PPP had been struggling for the restoration of democracy for the past three generations. “We have taken these steps for the restoration of democracy. We have brought a democratic no-confidence,” he said.
The PPP chief said his party welcomes Khalid Magsi and his party and also Shahzain Bugti who announced his support yesterday. We will combat the issues that Pakistan is faced with. Our numbers were complete on 8th March.”
To a question, Bilawal said the words were important. “If your words are nothing, you are nothing. We want to take everyone along with us, including the allies.”
PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that the opposition was still in talks with the PML (Quaid-e-Azam). “They (the PML-Q) had five members and we now have seven additional (members). We have the required numbers,” he added.
BAP — a Baluchistan based party - was a key ally of the Pakistan Thareek-e-Insaf in the federal government with 5 seats in the National Assembly since 2018.
However, except Zubaida Jalal Khan, all other four members of the national assembly appeared in a press conference addressed by the leadership of the joint opposition in Islamabad and consented to go against the prime minister in vote for no-confidence.
The BAP members headed by their parliamentary leader Nawabzada Mir Khalid Khan Magsi have announced that they had “accepted the opposition’s invitation”.
Magsi said that his party had reached the conclusion to join the opposition after consultations as they had “come with a new aim after bitter experiences in the past”.
“We wanted the country to be handled in a new manner, ‘’ he maintained, lamenting that “Balochistan has been deprived” and the party wanted the province’s issues to be addressed which was why BAP had decided to support the opposition.
When asked on whose instructions Khalid Magsi had toppled the PML-N government in Balochistan in 2018, he got visibly upset.
“On whose instructions are you asking this question?” he fired back. “Why are you scared, why don’t you take the army’s name? Ask me whether I did it on the army’s instructions. And if I did it, so what? I did it. Is it a sin? Did I do it on the Indian Army’s instructions? Do not ask pointed questions. If you do it you will get answers in kind.”
Magsi said that the history is replete with “many strange situations” but the “environment is good now”. “When they are on the sidelines, you do not forgive them (the army), and when they intervene even then you don’t forgive them. It is my request to leave them [alone] for some time.”
After switching loyalties by the BAP, the number game has inclined further towards the opposition in ‘no-trust saga’ as now the anti-government alliance have the support of 168 MNAs including 84 PML-N, 56 PPP, 15 JUI, 4 BNP Mangel, 4 BAP and 5 others.
The others include Ameer Haider Khan Hoti of ANP, Nawabzad Shahzain Bughti of JWP and independents Ali Wazir, Mohsin Dawar and Ali Nawaz Shah.
Meanwhile, the government still has 173 members in hands including 155 PTI, 7 MQM, 5 PML-Q, 3 GDA, a member of BAP and two others. The others includes Shaikh Rasheed Ahmed of Awami Muslim League and independent Mohammad Aslam Bhootani.
The total strength of the National Assembly is 342 out of which at present 173 MNAs are with treasury and 168 are in opposition’s camp while a seat is vacant due to the death of PTI’s lawmaker from NA-33 in Hangu.
In a separate news conference earlier in the day, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the opposition had the complete numbers for the no-confidence motion.
“The Prime Minister is running away from the contest. Now, the no-confidence has been tabled and the process has started. We are getting rid of this selected government and progressing towards free and fair elections,” he said.
The PPP Chairman condemned the role of National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser and Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri. “Now, the voting on the no-confidence has to take place within seven days and there is no way to escape or save the government,” he said.
Bilawal said that “we will focus on the provinces after toppling the Prime Minister. The religion card should not be used as religion is not a card but a personal matter,” he said.
The PPP chief said politics and religion cannot be linked. “When the rulers are incapable of fulfilling their promises, then they start relying on religion. The Prime Minister and his cabinet ministers on one hand, talk about Riasat-e-Madina and use abusive language. The Prime Minister is going and telling more lies in his last days. We would like to work with all the parties. Imran Khan’s government has ended. Our numbers are not only complete but abundant. The allies cannot work with the government,” he said.
To a question about the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, he said that the MQM will decide for itself. “We want for every stakeholder to Karachi to work together. It is necessary for the Pakistani economy and progress to focus on the problems of Karachi,” he added.
Bilawal challenged the Prime Minister to show the piece of paper he was waving yesterday. “This would be the first time in history that any conspirator informs their target with a letter. Every Pakistani is looking towards the Parliament and will see who is standing with the people and who is standing with the historic price-hike, unemployment and poverty,” he said.
Bilawal said every politician will have to support the people for their own political future. “Imran Khan is directionless in the government and will remain so after it,” he contended.
President Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians and Asif Ali Zardari, PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) President Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan Democratic Movement President Maulana Fazlur Rehman have welcomed BAP into the opposition fold.
Speaking at a joint news conference after the announcement, Zardari said the opposition can serve the people of Balochistan. “If there is Balochistan, there is Pakistan. We will make Shehbaz Sharif the Prime Minister,” he added.
Bilawal on the occasion said that the PPP had been struggling for the restoration of democracy for the past three generations. “We have taken these steps for the restoration of democracy. We have brought a democratic no-confidence,” he said.
The PPP chief said his party welcomes Khalid Magsi and his party and also Shahzain Bugti who announced his support yesterday. We will combat the issues that Pakistan is faced with. Our numbers were complete on 8th March.”
To a question, Bilawal said the words were important. “If your words are nothing, you are nothing. We want to take everyone along with us, including the allies.”
PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that the opposition was still in talks with the PML (Quaid-e-Azam). “They (the PML-Q) had five members and we now have seven additional (members). We have the required numbers,” he added.
BAP — a Baluchistan based party - was a key ally of the Pakistan Thareek-e-Insaf in the federal government with 5 seats in the National Assembly since 2018.
However, except Zubaida Jalal Khan, all other four members of the national assembly appeared in a press conference addressed by the leadership of the joint opposition in Islamabad and consented to go against the prime minister in vote for no-confidence.
The BAP members headed by their parliamentary leader Nawabzada Mir Khalid Khan Magsi have announced that they had “accepted the opposition’s invitation”.
Magsi said that his party had reached the conclusion to join the opposition after consultations as they had “come with a new aim after bitter experiences in the past”.
“We wanted the country to be handled in a new manner, ‘’ he maintained, lamenting that “Balochistan has been deprived” and the party wanted the province’s issues to be addressed which was why BAP had decided to support the opposition.
When asked on whose instructions Khalid Magsi had toppled the PML-N government in Balochistan in 2018, he got visibly upset.
“On whose instructions are you asking this question?” he fired back. “Why are you scared, why don’t you take the army’s name? Ask me whether I did it on the army’s instructions. And if I did it, so what? I did it. Is it a sin? Did I do it on the Indian Army’s instructions? Do not ask pointed questions. If you do it you will get answers in kind.”
Magsi said that the history is replete with “many strange situations” but the “environment is good now”. “When they are on the sidelines, you do not forgive them (the army), and when they intervene even then you don’t forgive them. It is my request to leave them [alone] for some time.”
After switching loyalties by the BAP, the number game has inclined further towards the opposition in ‘no-trust saga’ as now the anti-government alliance have the support of 168 MNAs including 84 PML-N, 56 PPP, 15 JUI, 4 BNP Mangel, 4 BAP and 5 others.
The others include Ameer Haider Khan Hoti of ANP, Nawabzad Shahzain Bughti of JWP and independents Ali Wazir, Mohsin Dawar and Ali Nawaz Shah.
Meanwhile, the government still has 173 members in hands including 155 PTI, 7 MQM, 5 PML-Q, 3 GDA, a member of BAP and two others. The others includes Shaikh Rasheed Ahmed of Awami Muslim League and independent Mohammad Aslam Bhootani.
The total strength of the National Assembly is 342 out of which at present 173 MNAs are with treasury and 168 are in opposition’s camp while a seat is vacant due to the death of PTI’s lawmaker from NA-33 in Hangu.
In a separate news conference earlier in the day, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the opposition had the complete numbers for the no-confidence motion.
“The Prime Minister is running away from the contest. Now, the no-confidence has been tabled and the process has started. We are getting rid of this selected government and progressing towards free and fair elections,” he said.
The PPP Chairman condemned the role of National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser and Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri. “Now, the voting on the no-confidence has to take place within seven days and there is no way to escape or save the government,” he said.
Bilawal said that “we will focus on the provinces after toppling the Prime Minister. The religion card should not be used as religion is not a card but a personal matter,” he said.
The PPP chief said politics and religion cannot be linked. “When the rulers are incapable of fulfilling their promises, then they start relying on religion. The Prime Minister and his cabinet ministers on one hand, talk about Riasat-e-Madina and use abusive language. The Prime Minister is going and telling more lies in his last days. We would like to work with all the parties. Imran Khan’s government has ended. Our numbers are not only complete but abundant. The allies cannot work with the government,” he said.
To a question about the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, he said that the MQM will decide for itself. “We want for every stakeholder to Karachi to work together. It is necessary for the Pakistani economy and progress to focus on the problems of Karachi,” he added.
Bilawal challenged the Prime Minister to show the piece of paper he was waving yesterday. “This would be the first time in history that any conspirator informs their target with a letter. Every Pakistani is looking towards the Parliament and will see who is standing with the people and who is standing with the historic price-hike, unemployment and poverty,” he said.
Bilawal said every politician will have to support the people for their own political future. “Imran Khan is directionless in the government and will remain so after it,” he contended.
