Pakistan

PTI MPs offered money to back no-trust move: Fawad

Khattak warns party lawmakers those who vote against PM will be disqualified

Our Correspondents February 23, 2022

Then information minister Fawad Chaudhry and minister of state for information Farrukh Habib speaking to the media in Islamabad on Feb 23, 2022. Photo: PID

ISLAMABAD:

Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Wednesday claimed that three PTI lawmakers were offered money to gain their support for the opposition’s planned no-confidence motion in parliament against the government.

Earlier this month, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), an anti-government opposition alliance, had announced bringing a no-confidence motion against the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Speaking to the media alongside Minister of State for Information Farrukh Habib after a meeting of the PTI’s Central Executive Committee, the minister elaborated that the trio of party’s parliamentarians, including a minority member and a female lawmaker, had been offered money to support the no-trust motion. “This is such a shameful instance,” he claimed, adding that the no-trust motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan would fail.

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Referring to the meeting of Shehbaz and Zardari, Fawad claimed that the PPP co-chairperson and the PML-N president had met to discuss who would pitch in how much money to buy lawmakers for the no-confidence move.

The minister maintained that the government would not allow the revival of the practice of “horse-trading”.

Dubbing Zardari and Shehbaz "two big traders", Fawad dared the opposition to table a no-trust motion within 24 hours. “You will see what will happen then,” he added.

The minister also appreciated the party lawmakers for refusing the alleged offer from the opposition to sell their vote.

Read Opposition relying on PTI defections

Fawad said both leaders were facing money laundering cases in Lahore and Karachi, adding that they would go to jail.

“Shehbaz is only out of the jail because the court is not hearing his case on a daily basis,” he said.

“He [Shehbaz] will go to jail once the court starts hearing his case daily.”

Fawad said the prime minister’s visit to Russia was very important, adding that Pakistan would not join any camp.

“The prime minister has made his foreign policy clear. Our aim is to take forward a balanced foreign policy.”

The minister claimed that the economy was heading in the right direction and the government would announce more packages to provide relief to the people.

Separately in a media talk in Islamabad, Defence Minister Pervez Khattak has warned that any PTI lawmaker, who voted against PM Imran, would be disqualified.

He accused the opposition of resorting to horse-trading and said the no-confidence motion was not that easy. “There is no no-trust motion and our political opponents are just deceiving the nation.”

Khattak maintained that PM Imran would complete his tenure and Prime Minister Imran Khan will complete five years and the PTI’s allies were supporting it. “Whatever the opposition wants, the no-confidence motion is and will remain a failure.”

The minister claimed that the coalition partners had made no demand for ministries.

“We will keep the promises we made with our allies.”