3 demands by Pakistan PM Imran Khan’s ally as no-trust vote inches closer

As the threat of a no-trust vote continues to loom on Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, ally MQM-P in a bid to put pressure on the ruling party has asked the government to fulfil three demands: ensure the safe recovery of over 100 of its missing workers, reopen their sealed offices and remove false and baseless cases against the party leaders and workers.

Moreover, MQM-P leader Waseem Akhtar on Tuesday said that if the slot of Punjab chief minister can be offered to a party (PML-Q) with just five seats in the National Assembly, then MQM-P has seven members, reported the News International.

This comes at a time when the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Monday announced Leader of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi as its candidate for Punjab chief minister after Usman Buzdar resigned from the top post.

Earlier, PTI in a bid to woo its ally MQM-P ahead of the no-trust motion decided to offer the Ministry of Ports and Shipping to the party. However, Waseem Akhtar confirmed that the government, during the negotiation, offered them the ministry of Ports and Shipping but the party did not give attention to the offer.

The naming of PML-Q leader Parvez Elahi as the candidate for Punjab CM has sparked anger in MQM-P. Leader Waseem Akhtar said that PML-Q had asked that the two parties will make decisions jointly and with mutual consensus in the prevailing situation but the decision was unilateral, reported the news portal.

After the no-confidence motion against Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was tabled in the National Assembly with a total of 161 votes in favour, the proceedings were adjourned till March 31.

The no-confidence motion was submitted by the Opposition parties on March 8. The Opposition has been confident that its motion would be carried as many PTI lawmakers have come out in the open against PM Imran Khan.