Vote of confidence: PTI allies want their pound of flesh

ISLAMABAD: The ruling PTI allies want their pound of flesh in return for their support to Prime Minister Imran Khan during the vote of confidence in the National Assembly session on Saturday (today).

The prime minister is determined to prove his majority with the help of allied parties and convened a meeting of his allies on Friday to firm up his strategy.

The assembly session was summoned after the PTI suffered a setback in the Senate elections where the PDM candidate from Islamabad Yusuf Raza Gilani defeated Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, say media reports.

Lawmakers from Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P), Pakistan Muslim League Quaid PML-Q) and Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) met the prime minister to discuss the vote of confidence.

A delegation of MQM-P, led by Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Friday met the prime minister and demanded deputy chairmanship of the Senate in exchange for their vote of confidence.

During the meeting, the MQM-P leaders expressed their reservations after the premier asked for their support. The MQM-P leaders said the promises made by the government had not been fulfilled. The defeat of the finance minister in the Senate elections prompted calls for resignation of prime minister by the united opposition leaders. Khan hit back by announcing to seek a vote of confidence from the National Assembly on Saturday. Shaikh was defeated by a margin of 5 votes.