The head of the main opposition alliance, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said that the alliance has completed the numbers to bring a no-confidence move against Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan.

In an informal chat with a group of journalists here on Wednesday, Maulana, who is also chief of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, said that the within next 48 hours no-confidence move against the prime minister will be tabled in the National Assembly.

He said that the success of the no-confidence move is certain as the PDM was also in close contact with the government’s allies. He further said that the opposition alliance does not need the support of the government’s allied parties, Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) for the no-confidence move. He added that right now establishment was totally neutral, adding that the PDM does not need any help from the establishment but establishment needs to stop supporting Imran Khan.

Responding to a question, Maulana said that there was no contact between him and the establishment, adding that the he was totally unaware of any contacts between Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party with the establishment. The PDM chief said that all the opposition parties were unanimous on getting rid of the present government led by Imran Khan.

In response to another question, he said that so far, the alliance has not chalked out any plan of the future government, if the no-confidence move becomes successful. Maulana said that the alliance will deliberate on the subject when the time arrives, adding that so far, entire focus was on the success of no-confidence move against the government. The PDM chief said that before the no-confidence every internal rift among the allied parties is undesirable, saying that the next 48 hours are critical for the no-confidence move.

He said that the PDM was relying on individuals, not on the government’s allied parties. Maulana said that the PDM’s main objective was to force the establishment to become neutral, which it has achieved. He said that now the political parties were showing confidence on each and other as they have a common goal.

This story was first published in Business Recorder on March 3, 2022.