PTI members ready to jump ship for PDM’s election ticket: Khokhar

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar thanked President Arif Alvi on Friday for supporting the opposition’s position that Prime Minister Imran Khan no longer held majority in the parliament.

In a statement, Khokhar said that constitutionally a president only calls for a vote of confidence when he believes the premier has lost majority.

“It does not matter how much the prime minister tries to please his members, the winds of change have blown,” the senator added.

Read ‘Shaikh's defeat shows PM Imran doesn't command parliament's trust’

He further clarified that the opposition can introduce a no-confidence motion at any time after a vote of confidence.

“The constitution does not prohibit a no-confidence motion for six months,” Khokhar maintained.

He added that, however, the timing of the no-confidence motion will be determined by the leadership of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).

The PPP senator further stated that the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) government officials are ready to jump [PM] Imran Khan's ship on the promise of a PDM ticket in the next elections.

Vote of Confidence

On Wednesday, following the Senate polls upset, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi announced that Prime Minister Imran Khan would be seeking a confidence vote in the National Assembly in a counter move to limit the opposition’s ability to challenge the legitimacy of his government.

Read more Shehryar Afridi's Senate vote wasted, RO rules

Addressing a news conference along with federal ministers Shafqat Mahmood, Asad Umar, Shireen Mazari, Hammad Azhar and others, Qureshi described PPP leader Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani's victory against PTI's Hafeez Shaikh as “negation of democracy”.

“The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has unanimously decided that Prime Minister Imran Khan will seek a vote of confidence from the National Assembly,” Qureshi said, adding that “Today was a sad day for democracy,”

A day later, it was announced that the premier would be seek a confidence vote in the lower house on Saturday (tomorrow).