Opposition MNAs Ordered To Postpone International Travel Plans

Pakistan’s two main opposition parties, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), on Sunday ordered their ministers to cancel their foreign trips and remain in Islamabad for the next few days in order to move a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Considering reports that the PTI government is planning to arrange some foreign visits for ministers in an apparent effort to put an end to the opposition’s no-trust move, the leaders of both parties have also directed their respective members not to be part of any official delegation for any foreign tour.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari remarked in answer to a query regarding whether or not the establishment was impartial that it will become clear in the following few days if the establishment was neutral. “No one could promise with certainty that a motion of no confidence would succeed, “, but he warned that if they waited for such an assurance, the anguish would only become worse.

As the PPP’s long march departed Lahore for Islamabad as planned, political tensions escalated in Islamabad.

The local administration has yet to grant the PPP permission to host a public assembly at the renowned D-Chowk, just in front of the Parliament House building on Constitution Avenue.

After a PPP delegation met with officials from the local government on Sunday afternoon, party secretary-general Nayyar Bokhari announced that the planned public meeting at D-Chowk would go ahead regardless of the circumstances and warned the government against creating any obstacles in the way of the marchers who are expected to enter the capital tomorrow (Tuesday).

Mr Bokhari reminded the Islamabad administration officials that the PPP had used a legal and democratic method to host the public demonstration and advised the officers to not become a servant of the PTI by eliminating obstacles to peaceful protest.

Earlier this week, the Islamabad chapter of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) formally applied to the city’s administration to conduct a public meeting at D-Chowk, the site of a 126-day sit-in by the PTI against the PML-N government in 2014.

Mr Bhutto-Zardari has ordered the PPP MPs to “guarantee their presence in Islamabad,” cancel their international trips and “refrain from performing even an official foreign tour,” the party’s media secretary Shazia Marri said in a statement Sunday.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has issued instructions to all his MNAs to remain in Islamabad. Marriyum Aurangzeb, PML-N media secretary, confirmed this in another statement. PML-N members would no longer travel as part of any official delegation led by National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, according to her, because of the country’s current expenses and inflation increments.

In a time of rising prices and joblessness, using public funds on foreign travels “would be nothing but corruption and dacoity,” said Ms Aurangzeb, a former information minister for the PML-N. PTI members who understand the hardships of the inflation-stricken public should also reject to join any overseas trip at this critical time, she said.

Party leaders from Pakistan’s nine-party coalition and PPP issued the directions following Saturday’s agreement to expedite negotiations with the ruling party’s partners before setting a date for the no-confidence resolution to be tabled in the National Assembly.

“Waiting won’t make the pain go away”

PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari told reporters in Lahore that the ‘strict move’ was required to guide Pakistan out of several problems, although it was “not a simple assignment” to pass a no-trust resolution against the PM Imran Khan.

Bilawal asserted that “in order to save the country from the economic, political, and foreign policy problems the current administration has created, we must take drastic measures. There is no assurance of success.”

“Yes, it is a difficult assignment,” Mr Bhutto-Zardari remarked in response to a query about the success of the no-trust campaign. “No one can claim this to be a walk in the park. Our responsibility is to try, and we believe that the danger is worth it.” It was a promise that he would not rest until the “selected” were removed from power corridors, even if the no-trust motion failed.

Questions concerning the impartiality of government agencies during the no-trust process were answered by him by saying that the impartiality will be tested “within days.” When the no-trust motion is presented, “all and everyone will see who is neutral and who is not,” he said.

While the opposition claims to have more than enough votes to pass a no-confidence motion, the PPP’s chair stated the involvement of government allies was critical, since it would increase their prospects of victory. He said that like a politician who visits each and every voter in an election; they were likewise contacting everyone who could lend a hand in their fight against the tyrannical regime.

Opposition leaders Asif Ali Zardari, Shehbaz Sharif, and Maulana Fazl will shortly decide whether to claim the speakership of the National Assembly or the Prime Ministers’ office first, according to Bhutto-Zardari. Both should be the target of a vote of no confidence, he insisted.

His party’s long march on Islamabad has also been supported, he said. The government, he said, was forced to engage with ministers since it had no organic majority in Parliament.