PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz on Thursday said the situation for tabling a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan was now “favourable”, and asked PTI members to stop backing the party in view of the “changed situation”.
Former president Asif Ali Zardari and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari had met PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif and Maryam last week in Lahore and agreed to leave their differences behind for a common cause — sending Prime Minister Imran Khan home — and pledged to weigh all options to achieve the goal, including a no-confidence move and a joint long march.
It was reported two days ago that PML-N’s Central Executive Committee meeting on Monday remained unable to decide on moving a no-confidence motion against the PTI government, leaving it to supreme party leader Nawaz Sharif to take a call on the matter when he deems appropriate.
Maryam, in her press talk in Islamabad today, admitted that Nawaz was initially not in favour of a no-confidence move against the government. But, she said, “party members pressed him that people’s wishes ought to be listened to as it is the only way to steer the country out of crisis.”
However, she did not say whether Nawaz had given the go-ahead for the move.
Turning her guns on the prime minister, she said recent speeches by Imran Khan reflected his frustration due to a lack of public support, failure to deliver and his inability to govern the country.
To a question, the PML-N leader said it was too early to talk about Imran Khan’s successor. “First we have to reach the stage of tabling a no-confidence motion, then a consensual decision on the next premier would have to be taken,” she added.
‘Those backing Imran now have to respect public calls’
Maryam, in response to another query, said those backing Imran Khan were now bound to listen to the grievances of people and act accordingly. “In this situation, you cannot go against the wishes of people.”
She said it was a reality that the PTI government was not tenable, adding that the allies of the ruling party were aware of the fact that they won’t be in a position to carry the baggage of the government’s failures in the next election campaign.
She expressed confidence that PTI would be wiped out from mainstream politics in time to come. Maryam said it was also incumbent upon all opposition parties to respect the sentiments of inflation-hit people and respond affirmatively to their calls.
She said the recent 15 per cent increase in salaries of Rangers and FC personnel by the prime minister was significantly low in view of almost “500pc surge in inflation”.
Regarding awarding of appreciation certificates to different ministries by PM Imran today, Maryam said key ministries like the foreign ministry were left out from any recognition as the government had failed on various fronts. Earlier, she said she was hopeful of getting justice from the Islamabad High Court in the Avenfield Apartments case.
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