The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Thursday accused the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government of planning a raid at the Sindh House in Islamabad.
It comes a day after PM Imran reiterated his earlier accusations that the opposition was involved in horse-trading, though this time he claimed that the PTI lawmakers were being kept at the Sindh House.
A joint statement issued by PPP leaders - including MNAs Abdul Qadir Patel, Abdul Qadir Mandokhel, Abid Hussain Bhayo, Javed Shah Jilani, Ehsan Mazari, Naveed Dero and Mehreen Bhutto - categorically accused PM Khan and his government of planning an attack on the Sindh House in Islamabad, calling it an ‘act of terrorism.’
It further said that the act would be in violation of the Constitution and the responsibiltiy for any damage caused to the property or the members would lie squarely on the government.
The PPP statement mentioned that in the wake of the Parliament Lodges operation by the Islamabad police last week against JUI volunteers, the disgruntled leaders of PTI asked the Sindh government to provide them accommodation due to the threat at the parliament lodges.
Bilawal says MNAs being threatened with violence and arrest
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that his party and the Pakistan Democratic Party (PDM) will protect Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) who are being threatened with violence and arrest if they take part in the no-confidence process against the prime minister.
In a tweet on Thursday, the PPP leader said that the lives, liberty, and families of MNAs are under threat.
"MNAs will take any and all means for their own protection against this fascist regime," he said.
"PPP and PDM will do all we can to protect them. We will not show all our cards now.
More to come in the coming days. Out of respect of OIC conference, we don’t want anarchy in Islamabad. Government must not provoke us."
Interior minister denies accusation
Interior minister Sheikh Rashid, while speaking to the media earlier today, said that no such action was in the works. "There are some people in Sindh House. They have called in 300-400 policemen. But there is no problem as we still have time," he added.
The Maritime Affairs Minister Ali Zaidi, meanwhile, wrote a letter to the establishment secretary demanding an investigation against the deployment of Special Security Unit (SSU) to guard Sindh House in Islamabad.He called it a ‘glaring violation’ and demanded suspension of SSU Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Maqsood Memon.
Elahi's latest gambit
It all started after Pakistan Muslim League Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q) leader Chaudhry Pervez Elahi claimed that 12-13 PTI lawmakers – who would vote for the no-confidence move to oust PM Imran – are currently in the “opposition’s custody”.
Elahi, while being a guest on journalist Nadeem Malik’s show on Samaa TV’s show, Elahi discussed the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan and how the numbers game was stacking up ahead of the no-trust vote as well as the state of affairs of civil-military relations.
He claimed that at least 12 or 13 PTI MNAs, who would vote against Imran Khan, were in the oppositions’ “custody.”Elahi further told the journalist that nearly 30 MNAs from the government were ready to support the motion.
As per the count, said Elahi, PTI-government allies PML-Q (5), MQM-P (7), and BAP (5) have 17 seats in the National Assembly. He said the three coalition partners would take a collective decision on whether to support or oppose the no-trust move.
At the same time, the PTI breakaway factions led by Jehangir Tareen and Aleem Khan also boast the support of a considerable number of lawmakers – in the national and Punjab assemblies – with it not clear where there allegiances lie. However. They have called for the removal of Punjab CHief Minister Usman Buzdar.
Elahi further said that PML-Q has unequivocally informed PM Imran that if 15 PTI MNAs vote for the no-trust move, then the PML-Q would also vote for the PM’s ouster.
The PML-Q leader, who has had a flurry of meetings with the PTI and opposition leadership as he flip flopped on his party’s tilt in the no-trust vote, said that PML-N chief Shehbaz Sharif has offered his party the Punjab chief ministry. In return, the PML-N agreed to support Shehbaz Sharif as prime minister that would see Elahi becoming Punjab CM after the success of no-trust vote.
