PTI rules out ‘minus-one’ formula

PM Imran says steps being taken to stop horse-trading in future

ISLAMABAD:

The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Friday made it clear that there would be no “minus-one formula”, expressing confidence that Prime Minister Imran Khan would complete his five-year term after defeating the no-confidence motion filed by the joint opposition in the National Assembly.

In meetings with his close aides, including Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid, Defence Minister Pervez Khattak and Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, Premier Imran said some people wanted “minus one” in the country but it would never happen.

“These people want minus one. This can never happen,” Imran said, directing senior PTI leader Amir Kiani and Adviser on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan to take legal action against the dissident members of the National Assembly (MNAs) belonging to the ruling party.

“Steps will be taken to ensure that no one will dare resort to horse-trading in the future,” Imran said. Referring to the PTI’s proposed public rally at D-Chowk in Islamabad on March 27, he said that the gathering will see the change.

The consultative meeting in Bani Gala discussed the government strategy in the current political situation, which arose after the joint opposition filed a no-confidence motion against the prime minister. On Thursday, the media showed several dissident PTI MNAs staying at the Sindh House in Islamabad.

In a separate meeting, Imran directed National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser to move the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for legal action and de-notification of the PTI’s dissidents. He added that he would continue fighting till the last ball and would not spare any dissident.

The prime minister told the participants of the meeting that he would not budge due to the opposition’s blackmailing. He asked them to remain relaxed, because everything would become clear on March 28, when the no-confidence motion would fail.

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The meeting was attended by Fawad Chaudhry, Babar Awan, Industries Minister Khusro Bakhtiar, Leader of House in Senate Shahzad Waseem, Energy Minister Hammad Azhar, Science and Technology Minister Shibli Faraz, State Minister Farrukh Habib and Special Assistant to Prime Minister Amir Dogar.

Later, addressing a joint news conference, Qureshi, Asad Umar and Fawad said that that Imran chaired a meeting of senior party leaders and it was decided unanimously that the no-confidence motion would be thwarted.

They said that the dissident members, shown in the TV footages on Friday, were being issued show-cause notices, adding that the speaker would take further action against them. The minister stressed that PTI’s coalition partners were with the government.

“One thing is circulating that everything else is fine, just Imran Khan is not fine. Let the people remove this ambiguity, there is no room for minus one in the Tehreek-e-Insaf, just like the opposition parties would never agree to ‘minus one’ in their own parties,” Qureshi said.

Qureshi made it clear that the federal government had no intention of imposing governor’s rule in Sindh. He also assured that the federal government had no plans to raid the Sindh House where the dissident PTI lawmakers were staying. “Don’t worry Bilawal [Bhutto Zardari] and [Sindh Minister] Saeed Ghani.”

Also read: Govt to move SC for interpretation of Article 63(A), says Fawad

Qureshi rejected the “speculation” about the government allies. “Rumours are being spread [but] the government allies are with us and they will not leave us,” Qureshi told reporters. “It’s illogical to say that the MQM-P [Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan] is leaving us,” the minister added.

He said that the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader and Punjab Assembly Speaker Pervaiz Elahi was being offered the chief ministership of Punjab. “I know the Chaudhrys [of Gujarat] and they will not take any emotional decision but political ones,” he said.

“They know how much room Nawaz-League [PML-N] has for them. Everyone knows that Nawaz-League is not reliable. If the Nawaz-League has majority in the Punjab cabinet then what will the chief minister do,” the foreign minister continued.

He said the PML-N created hurdles in the way of the PML-Q in 2018, adding that everybody knew the treatment meted out by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) to the MQM-P in Sindh. “Our allies will not leave the PTI,” he added.

Also read: No decision yet on imposing governor rule in Sindh: Rashid

Dissident members

Qureshi said that those who were elected on the PTI’s election symbol of bat and sitting in the Sindh House knew the requirements of law and the Constitution. He asked his colleagues “not to sit in the lap of political opponents” and take stock of the situation with a cool mind. “Their grievances can be removed.”

Speaking on the occasion, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said that the PTI was a political party of elegant people. “Show-cause notices are being issued to dissident members,” he said, adding that the speaker would take action against the dissident PTI members of the assembly.

 

WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM APP.