PDM leadership snubs vote of confidence

Maryam Nawaz says 'forced' votes have no standing

Hours after the prime minister received vote of confidence in the National Assembly, leaders of the Pakistan Democratic Movement snubbed the lower house session.

Speaking to the media after a PDM huddle, Maryam Nawaz said that for her the people had taken the decision when Yousuf Raz Gillani was voted for Senator.

“The votes you received today have no standing since your MNAs were pressured to vote for you,” she said.

Criticizing the premier further she said that the PM keeps repeating that 16 MNAs cheated on the party by voting for Gillani but still goes to the same MNAs for a vote of confidence.

The PML-N leader drew similarities between the PTI campaign and the attack on the US Capitol.

Maryam Nawaz lauded the efforts of the PML-N leaders who stood against the PTI goons.

She regretted that the PTI supporters resorted to using violence against a woman parliamentarian and manhandled Ahsan Iqbal.

“PML-N will not forget what happened today,” she said.

 Bilawal went on to say politics is also the art of making the impossible, possible.

“We have made it evident how fragile the National Assembly is, how fragile the government is, how fragile the puppet is,” he said adding that this one Senate election has proved that the premier has lost.

Referring to Imran as a ‘grumpy old man’, Bilawal said that even the National Assembly had rejected Imran Khan and the puppet government.

“As the leader of the house it was his [Imran’s] duty to condemn what happened outside the parliament but he did not,” the PPP chairman said adding that despite all the hue and cry Yousaf Raza Gillani is now a member of the Senate.

He further said that instead of pointing fingers at Gillani, Imran should take lessons from him on how to respect his party members.

“If we unite under PDM it will not be an individual victory but victory for the nation,” he added.

Meanwhile, PDM leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman, speaking to the media in Sukkur, said that they were aware of how MNAs were forced to vote for Imran Khan terming the session 'unconstitutional'.

“You have this forced governance today but will not have it tomorrow,” he said adding that they do not accept today's session or the vote of confidence.