Opposition devises 'power-sharing' post-Imran

The anti-government alliance, PDM, along with major opposition party PPP has devised a prospective 'power-sharing' formula if no-confidence motion succeeds against the PTI-led government both at Centre and in Punjab, The Express Tribune learnt on Monday.

Under the power-sharing model, PML-Q senior leader Pervaiz Elahi will likely be given the portfolio of Punjab chief minister while the size of provincial cabinet will be cut down, according to insiders.

As of now, the Punjab cabinet consists of 38 ministers, four advisers and four special assistants.

The PML-N lawmaker will be elected as Punjab Assembly Speaker and PPP’s Qamar Zaman Kaira’s name has been proposed for the slot of province’s governor.

Most of the ministries in the Punjab cabinet will be given to the PML-N lawmakers while PPP and PML-Q will also get share under the proposed power-sharing deal.

Meanwhile, the sources said that the ticket of PML-N has become a "hot cake" amid fluid political situation.

No-confidence against president

On the other hand, sources said that after the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan and NA speaker Asad Qaiser, the opposition is seeking to turn its gun towards President Arif Alvi.

If the no-confidence motion succeeds in toppling the PTI-led government, the sources shared, then the future prime minister will be possibly selected from PML-N while the slot of NA speaker will be given to somebody from the united opposition.

Currently, former president Asif Ali Zardari is being considered for the office of head of state.

Last night four MPAs of Punjab Assembly met with the PML-N leadership and assured them of their support and more than 18 MPAs belonging to the three divisions of South Punjab have also agreed to support the party, they added.

A day earlier, the incumbent Speaker Punjab Assembly Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi announced that a consensus has been reached with the government that the present assemblies will complete their terms, saying Prime Minister Imran Khan should continue his efforts.

The PML-Q, a party that is being speculated to be an ‘at-risk’ ally of the ruling party, announced the decision after a two-day consultative meeting on the ongoing political situation developed following the opposition parties submitted a no-confidence motion against PM Imran, who is relying on allies to survive the no-trust move.

The party leadership announced that the party has made its decision and final consultation was underway with other coalition partners of the government as they were working together.

“It was agreed that the present assemblies will complete their term,” Speaker Punjab Assembly was quoted as saying in the official statement released after the meeting. “We have made our decision, final consultation is underway with our colleagues,” Elahi said.

In his interaction with the media after the meeting, Elahi, without revealing what decision has been taken, said that the allies of the PTI-government — PML-Q, MQM-P and the BAP — are working together.

“If we join hands with the Opposition, we will resign from the ministries,” said Elahi.

However, the statement regarding the completion of the assemblies does not go along with what PML-N and PPP have been saying.

Both the major opposition parties have already thrown their weight behind fresh elections. However, Elahi’s statement suggests that the change might only be witnessed in the Centre, in case the no-trust motion is successfully executed and provincial assemblies might continue functioning as they are for the remaining tenure.