ISLAMABAD: PML-N stalwart Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Saturday confirmed what The News’ Editor Investigation Ansar Abbasi reported more than three months ago that a sitting federal minister from PTI invited the top PML-N leadership to bring a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan.
On his social networking website, PML-N’s senior leader Khwaja Muhammad Asif while responding to a statement of a federal minister commented about the contact made by a PTI leader to PML-N leadership in London in recent past.
“Someone should ask him who the minister was making a telephone call in London and informed that he had the support of 11/12 PTI MNAs.
Do something, as we are ready. I can tell the name of the person who was approached via telephone,” tweeted Khwaja Muhammad Asif on Saturday.
The News reported about the alleged contact of the PTI’s federal minister to PML-N leadership on July 6, 2020.
However, the very next day of publication of the story, Khwaja Muhammad Asif had rebutted the news report and claimed that no one had contacted him.
“No one has contacted me. Ansar Abbasi is a respected and authentic journalist. I wouldn’t have to rebut the story had he contacted me for the confirmation of the facts”, tweeted Khwaja Muhammad Asif on July 7, 2020.
Earlier, on July 6 The News reported that a federal minister approached a member of a top PML-N leader family to convey that in case of a no-confidence motion, the opposition could even get the support of several PTI MNAs at a time when the PTI's relationship with its coalition partners is already facing difficulties.
According to the July 6 report, the minister's message was conveyed to Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif and Khawaja Asif. The PML-N has not yet responded to this "idea" of the minister and prefers wait and see policy at least for the time being.
“This correspondent contacted the minister, who categorically denied that he had conveyed any such message to Sharifs.
It is said that the federal minister used his personal mobile number to contact a member of the top PML-N leader’s family. He is said to have an old association with his PML-N associated contact. This relationship apparently prompted the minister to convey his idea to the PML-N”, the July 6 report says.
The News’ report further claimed the minister also conveyed that over a dozen PTI MNAs were ready for an in-house change.
