Odds appear not to be in his favour of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan who is facing his greatest test since assuming office more than three years ago. The cricketer-turned-politician is facing a crucial trust vote in the Parliament, the voting for which will be held on March 28.
Meanwhile, at least four dissident members of the National Assembly (MNAs) from the ruling PTI on Thursday said that they would on no-confidence motion against PM Imran Khan. They said they would vote in "accordance with their conscience", reported Dawn.
Besdies, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Tariq Bashir Cheema accused the Pakistani government of threatening its lawmakers from casting vote against Imran Khan.
Tariq, citing the interview of PML-Q leader Pervaiz Elahi on a Pakistani channel in which he severely criticized the government, said that he had spoken his heart out on Tuesday, Geo News reported on Wednesday.
While speaking at the interview, Pervaiz said that all the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) allies are "100 per cent inclined" towards the opposition party.
"It is Khan Sahab's duty to reverse the tilt. But I believe the time to send a delegation (for assuring support) has passed. Had he done this earlier, this could have been avoided," Pervaiz was quoted as saying by Geo News citing Pervaiz's interview to Pakistani channel.
Despite Pervaiz's statement claiming that the government's allies are joining hands with the opposition, Tariq refuted all the speculation and said, "If we have to tilt towards opposition on the no-trust move, we will announce our decision very clearly and properly." Tariq further accused the Pakistani government of mishandling Punjab and its governance system, adding that, "now no one is responsible to take responsibility of Punjab's current situation."
However, the Prime Minister has claimed that the entire nation was ready to go down with him rather than supporting the corrupt opposition parties.
Addressing the Pakistan Overseas Convention in Islamabad, Khan slammed three opposition leaders - Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz President Shahbaz Sharif, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Pakistan People's Party Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari - as "three stooges" and said he was thankful to them for filing a no-trust motion against him that had strengthened his party.
Khan said the opposition leaders were under the "false impression that the people had forgotten their corruption", but they were wrong, as now, they had fallen into the "captain's trap".
"I predict that not only is their no-confidence motion going to fail, but they will taste defeat in the 2023 general elections as well," he said, foreseeing the triumph of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party in the next polls.
(With input from agencies)
