Setback for PTI as BAP takes opposition’s side

Shehbaz Sharif will soon become prime minister, says Asif Zardari in a joint presser with Balochistan party members

ISLAMABAD:

The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) received another setback from Balochistan on Monday, as the provincially-ruling Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) parted ways with it and announced its support for the opposition’s no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The announcement was made by senior BAP leader and National Assembly member (MNA) Mir Khalid Khan Magsi at a joint press conference with top opposition leaders, Shehbaz Sharif, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Asif Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

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Magsi told reporters that his party had reached the conclusion to join the opposition after consultation. “Balochistan has been deprived” and the party wanted the province’s issues addressed. “That is why BAP has decided to support the opposition,” he added.

BAP is the latest departure from the PTI-led coalition. On Sunday, Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) MNA Shahzain Bugti resigned from the post of special assistant to prime minister and joined the opposition camp. Earlier, PTI leader Yar Muhammad Rind had also quit.

At the press conference at a private hotel in Islamabad, four MNAs of BAP were present. However, Defence Production Minister Zubaida Jalal was conspicuous by her absence and it was stated that she had not parted ways with the government.

On the occasion, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shahbaz Sharif, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Zardari welcomed BAP to the opposition fold, saying that they valued its decision.

“The government that will be formed as a result of the success of the no-confidence motion will support the people of Balochistan in overcoming their sense of deprivation,” Shehbaz, also the opposition leader in the National Assembly, said in his brief remarks at the outset of the press conference.

On the occasion, former president Asif Zardari said that Shahbaz Sharif would soon become the prime minister, adding that the decision taken by BAP was in the best interest of the country. He assured that the opposition parties would serve Balochistan well.

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At the presser, Magsi expressed annoyance when a reporter asked on whose instructions they toppled the PML-N-led government in Balochistan in the past. He told the reporter not to ask irrelevant questions and asked why he was afraid of mentioning the name of army.

Speaking on the occasion, Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) chief Akhtar Mengal told reporters that circumstances, and not the army, forced the opposition to bring the no-confidence motion against the prime minister.

Mengal stressed that all opposition parties were on the same page. He said that they were ridiculed instead of resolving the problems of Balochistan. “We are succeeding on the no-confidence motion, as the government numbers were falling. Delaying tactics are being used on the no-confidence motion.”

In response to another question about the letter showed by Prime Minister Imran Khan during his public meeting in Islamabad on Sunday night, Shehbaz Sharif said that Imran should bring the letter to parliament.

When pointed out that the PML-Quaid had decided to stay with the PTI, Fazl, also the president of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), said there was still room for a dialogue with the PML-Q. “Initially, the Q-League had 7 members and BAP had 5, now BAP members are 7 and Q-League had 5.”

On the occasion, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that his party had been struggling for the restoration of democracy for the past three generations. “We have taken these steps for the restoration of democracy,” he said.

“We have brought a democratic no-confidence. Our numbers were complete on 8th March [the day of filing the no-confidence motion]. We welcome Khalid Magsi and his party, and also Shahzain Bugti, who announced his support yesterday. We will combat the issues that Pakistan is faced with,” he added