Screengrab of the united opposition’s press conference on the no-confidence motion
Opposition leaders say they are ‘confident’ of having the numbers necessary to ensure the motion succeeds
The united opposition on Monday submitted a long-threatened no-trust motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan with the National Assembly Secretariat, ending weeks of speculation over whether they would proceed to oust Speaker Asad Qaiser first or proceed straight toward the premier.
Senior members of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), and component parties of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) submitted the motion to the National Assembly Secretariat. “This is very good news for the people of Pakistan, as the days of Prime Minister Imran Khan are now numbered,” PMLN spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb told media after the no-confidence motion had been submitted.
The notice of resolution for a vote of no-confidence submitted to the National Assembly Secretariat, covering 12 pages, includes the signatures of over 80 MNAs. “We, the undersigned members of the National Assembly together totaling more than 20 percent of the total membership of the National Assembly, do hereby give notice of the attached resolution for a vote of no-confidence against Prime Minister Imran Khan under clause (1) of Article 95 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,” it reads.
“As required by sub-rules (2) and (3) of Rule 37 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business, 2007, the Notice should be circulated to all members of the National Assembly and entered in the names of the undersigned members in the Orders of the Day for the first working day after the expiry of one clear day from the date of receipt of this notice,” it adds.
Opposition leaders
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday evening, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif said all the opposition forces, in a consultative meeting on Monday, had agreed to submit the no-confidence motion today (Tuesday). “This was a secret that was kept by all the opposition parties,” he said.
Summarizing the conditions that had prompted the opposition to submit the no-trust motion, he said that P.M. Khan had—during three-and-half-years in power—brought the country to the brink of disaster. “There is rampant inflation and unemployment is on the rise,” he said. “The only work they know how to do is take credit for the development projects started by previous governments,” he claimed, regretting that the prime minister’s policies had also endangered Pakistan’s ties with its “friends” in the global community, including China. “He stalled the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor,” he claimed, adding that ties had also deteriorated with Saudi Arabia.
“In his speech at Mailsi, he has angered our friends in the European Union,” the PMLN chief said, adding that “everyone” knew we had billions in trade with the E.U. that was now at risk due to Khan’s speech at his rally in Vehari over the weekend. “The words he used are not even appropriate to be repeated on TV,” he said.
The PMLN president also rubbished the narrative being built by the PTI to suggest that there was a “foreign hand” behind the movement to oust Khan. “You have brought the country to economic ruin. How was this a foreign conspiracy? You’re generating expensive electricity by not importing gas in time. Was this a foreign conspiracy?” he questioned the prime minister as he highlighted the various controversies the incumbent government has been implicated in.
“This is irresponsible,” he stressed when referring to Khan’s allegations of foreign involvement. “God willing, our [opposition’s] cooperation will ensure the ouster of this government,” he said, adding that the opposition had nothing to fear from Khan, because he had already done his worst to them in the years since he came to power.
PDM President Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who also heads his own faction of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, echoed Sharif’s words. Hitting back at Khan’s allegations of foreign involvement, he reiterated his claims of Khan working on the “Western agenda” by promoting their culture in Pakistan. “Within a week of the 2018 elections, we had declared that the polls were manipulated and rejected the results,” he said.
“We might have differed on our methods, but all of us [opposition] have always been united in maintaining that we do not accept this government that stole the people’s mandate,” he said, adding that the JUIF’s long march; rallies nationwide; and the PPP’s Awami Long March had all proven this stance. “Everything we said is now clear to everyone in the country,” he emphasized.
“If you had actually improved the country’s economy, the people would have supported you. Not only that, the international community would also come to do business with you,” he said. “But you brought the economy to its worst state,” he said, taking aim at the premier’s claims of having expanded the country’s economy and placing it on the path to recovery. “Today, the entire opposition tabled the no-confidence motion in Parliament. Now, his [Imran Khan]’s days are numbered,” he said. “You did what you could. But you lied. You deceived our youth by promising them jobs you never delivered,” he said.
“Now, you are talking about rifts with the U.S., with the U.K. We know the reality,” he said in a direct address to the prime minister. “You think to compete with us? To threaten us? To insult us?” Stressing that the current opposition would likely differ in future and might even break ties, they were all together in wanting the welfare of the people. “God willing, we will succeed in liberating the people from this government,” he added.
PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari, in his turn at the podium, stressed upon media freedom as a key pillar of democracy. “When I was president, many journalists criticized me. We did not try to silence them,” he said, referring to allegations of the incumbent government muzzling the press.
“We felt the need to act [against P.M. Khan] now, because if the situation kept spiraling, it could hit a point where no one could save the country,” he said, adding that the opposition would work together to free the people and the country from this situation. To a question, he said that the opposition parties would not only get all the numbers required to oust the government, but would get more than the numbers needed. “Their own party workers are distressed. What will they say to their constituents when they return to ask them for votes?” he added.
Responding to a question on whether the politicians had sought guarantees from “the mindset” that had facilitated the rise of Imran Khan, the JUIF chief said “those people” were among us. “We do not want to victimize our institutions,” he said, adding that they would introduce legislation if they came to power that would ensure such occurrences were not repeated.
A day earlier, addressing a meeting of the PTI’s core committee, Prime Minister Imran Khan had reiterated that opposition parties were welcome to table a no-confidence motion against his government. However, he stressed, he was confident of their failure. But while the government has been voicing confidence, its actions suggest otherwise. Amidst massive price hikes of petroleum products in the global market, the premier announced subsidies on petrol, diesel, and electricity that economists warn could pose disastrous consequences for the country’s foreign exchange reserves.
He also renewed a call to make a separate South Punjab province, and has been reaching out to allied parties to encourage them not to abandon his government.