After losing his allies, the PTI government is in minority and Imran Khan now has no moral authority to continue as the prime minister. His close aides are still claiming that the “Kaptan” is ready to fight the no-confidence motion tabled by the combined opposition in the Pakistan National Assembly on which the debate is set to start on Thursday afternoon.
“He will play till the last ball of the over. Wait for the surprises,” Khan’s ministers have been repeating ad nauseum.
PM Imran Khan will never give up IA. He is a fighter. A symbol of courage & bravery. Allah won’t let him down IA.
— Shehryar Afridi (@ShehryarAfridi1) March 30, 2022
According to the schedule issued on Wednesday by the Pakistan National Secretariat, the resolution submitted by Shehbaz Sharif, the leader of the opposition in the House and the prime ministerial candidate of the combined opposition , for a discussion on the no-trust motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan is on the list of agenda for Thursday.
“Through this Resolution under clause (1) of Article 95 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, this House resolves that it has no-confidence in the Prime Minister, Mr Imran Khan, and consequently he should cease to hold office under clause (4),” it read.
According to the Pakistani media, Sharif will initiate the debate. It is not clear whether Imran Khan will participate in the proceedings.
Earlier on Wednesday, Shehbaz Sharif had asked Imran Khan to resign as he had lost the majority after his coalition partner MQM-P struck a deal and withdrew support from Khan’s government.
. @CMShehbaz hopes against the hope that @ImranKhanPTI will now resign as #PrimeMinister as he has lost majority in the #parliament . pic.twitter.com/TVNDhKricZ
— Azaz Syed (@AzazSyed) March 30, 2022
The combined opposition has been claiming that they have now the support of 199 members, much more than the 172 required to show Khan the door. The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari asserted in the joint press conference on Wednesday that PM Imran "has now lost majority" in the National Assembly, adding that Shehbaz will soon occupy the prime minister’s office.
لائیو: ایم کیو ایم پاکستان کے رہنماؤں کی متحدہ اپوزیشن کے ہمراہ اسلام آباد میں مشترکہ پریس کانفرنس
https://t.co/nxlv59g6Cr— PPP (@MediaCellPPP) March 30, 2022
Khan is set to lose an Opposition no-confidence motion expected to be voted upon in the next three days. According to media reports it will take place on April 3.
The Pakistani daily, Express Tribune, claims that the Pakistani army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa had suggested a few options to his protege Imran Khan for a safe exit. The first “honourable” exit is that Khan should resign gracefully before the no-confidence vote.
Among other options, one is that if Khan approaches the opposition for an agreement for holding early elections. But according to analysts, Khan has lost the chance and the opposition, after smelling the victory, will never agree to that.
“Combined opposition want Imran Khan out; they wouldn't compromise for less than that. They have a larger plan beyond Imran Khan,” says one analyst.
Meanwhile, the US State Department has categorically denied that any government agency or official sent such a so-called threat letter to the Imran Khan government. Khan has been trying to play the victim card citing an internal letter written by the Pakistani envoy to his foreign secretary, blaming the foreign countries especially the US hatching a foreign conspiracy to oust him.
Also Read: Pak PM Imran Khan’s exit becoming inevitable as his government loses majority in Parliament
