WATCH: Cheema vows to vote against PM despite PML-Q deal

Estranged PML-Q leader says he will support opposition in no-trust motion and won’t take back his resignation

Estranged PML-Q leader Tariq Bashir Cheema, who stepped down as federal minister for housing a day earlier, has reiterated that he will support the no-trust motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan filed by the joint opposition in National Assembly.

“I will vote in favour of no-trust motion [against PM Imran] and will not take back [my] resignation,” the PML-Q leader can be heard as saying in response to a journalist's question in a video shared on social media on Tuesday.

Won’t take back the resignation, will vote against Imran Khan — reiterates Tariq Bashir Cheema pic.twitter.com/vFZ7A63llU

— Shahbaz Zahid (@shahbazzahid) March 29, 2022

The estranged leader had announced resigning from the federal cabinet on Monday after PM Imran agreed to give the coveted seat of the Punjab chief minister to PML-Q senior leader Pervaiz Elahi in return for the support on the no-confidence motion submitted by the opposition.

The deal reportedly prompted a rift within the party with Cheema revolting against the decision and announcing to vote against PM Imran. Cheema also resigned from the federal cabinet, giving rise to speculations regarding a rift in the Chaudhrys of Gujrat.

However, PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat earlier today termed reports of a rift among the leaders of the PML-Q as baseless, saying his “family and the party are on the same page”.

In response to the reports in the media about the rift, Shujaat said all decisions were taken after consultations with him. “I endorse all these decisions,” he said, adding that the “rumours” making rounds in the media were false.