‘Imran Khan will fight till last ball': Pak minister rejects rumours PM may quit
Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan will address the nation today evening, triggering rumours about his resignation after critical ally MQM-P formally announced support to the opposition Pakistan People's Party
Pakistan information and broadcasting minister Fawad Chaudhry has rejected speculations over prime minister Imran Khan's resignation. Hussain tweeted in Urdu," Prime Minister Imran Khan is a player who fights till the last ball. He will not submit resignation."
Chaudhry's remarks come amid heightened speculations of Imran Khan announcing his resignation during his address to the nation today evening. The murmurs about the 69-year-old leader's exit have grown louder after ally Muttahida Qaumi Movement with seven members formally announced agreement with the opposition Pakistan People's Party. Both the ministers Syed Aminul Haq and Farogh Naseem have also tendered their resignations from the cabinet.
"We have sent our resignations to the prime minister," Amin-ul-Haq, a member of Khan's cabinet from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), told reporters.
The resignations mean that the opposition is now comfortably placed with 177 members in the 342-member Pakistan Assembly and doesn't require the support of disgruntled PTI lawmakers.
ALSO READ: Pak PM Imran Khan faces no-confidence vote: Everything you need to know
With the MQM joining hands with the opposition, Imran Khan's ouster is certain if he faces the no-trust vote in the Assembly. With the no-confidence motion tabled in Assembly, Imran Khan cannot dissolve the assembly.
The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf had managed to get support from PML-Q by announcing Chaudhary Pervez Elahi as the Punjab chief ministerial candidate, this after CM Usman Buzdar resigned after facing a no-confidence motion.
As Imran Khan struggles to keep his flock together, he is likely to share the ‘letter proof’ with senior journalists over his allegations of a foreign conspiracy behind efforts to topple his government.
Imran Khan's PTI had formed the government in 2018, laying the vision of a ‘Naya Pakistan’. However, the opposition has accused his government of mismanaging economy, foreign policy and using high-handed tactics against the detractors.