Pre-emptive action: Vote of no-confidence moved against K-P CM

Opposition submits motion to stop Khattak from dissolving assembly

PESHAWAR:

Opposition members of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) legislature have submitted a vote of no-confidence against Chief Minister Pervaiz Khattak in the provincial assembly secretariat on Tuesday.

The requisition, according to Awami National Party (ANP) parliamentary leader Sardar Hussain Babak, was moved for only one reason: to prevent the chief minister from dissolving the provincial assembly.

“We are not concerned with the resignations of PTI legislators. The requisition for bringing a vote of no confidence against Khattak is a step to stop the dissolution of the assembly,” Babak told The Express Tribune. Following the PTI resignations, the opposition parties will sit together for the formation of a new government in the province, he added.

The decision to move the requisition was taken during a meeting called by Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) leader Sikandar Sherpao, the former coalition partners in the provincial government. Opposition leader Maulana Lutfur Rehman, who also claimed to have Jamaat-e-Islami on board, submitted the requisition. However, K-P Information Minister Mushtaq Ghani said that the opposition parties lack the required strength and the coalition partners support PTI.

On the other hand, officials told The Express Tribune that ironically, Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) has been “the main hurdle” in bringing a vote of no confidence against Khattak. “It was somewhat shocking to know that PML-N had been opposing a no-confidence motion against its rivals,” one official said, requesting anonymity.

On Monday, Sherpao had said that a series of meetings were held to develop consensus among opposition parties to see their response to the developing situation. It was decided that a final meeting would be held during the early hours of Tuesday at QWP provincial office where a joint line of action would be developed.

Separately, JI provincial minister for local government Inaytullah Khan had told the media that they did not support the civil disobedience movement. “It is an extreme step and we do not consider it appropriate,” he told reporters, adding that JI central leadership will announce its decision in this regard after due consultation. “Dissolving the KP assembly will be insulting the 20 million people of the province.”

Published in The Express Tribune, August 20^th, 2014.