Till crucial voting: Opposition beefs up lawmakers’ security

ISLAMABAD: The opposition parties have formed groups and a legal committee to protect their members to ensure their attendance during the voting on no-trust motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan, sources told ‘The News’ on Tuesday.

The sources said the opposition parties have formed various groups and a legal committee to protect their lawmakers, as they file a no-confidence motion against the incumbent Prime Minister Imran Khan to the Speaker of the National Assembly. They said the group leaders from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan People Party (PPP) and Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) are in contact with their members and to get updates about location and movement.

The sources said each group had its own WhatsApp group, where all members have to provide their updates, including live locations, adding that the opposition parties would also form a centralised WhatsApp group, where all the opposition members would constantly provide their updates and interact with one another. They said if any member would have any fear to be kidnapped by any government department or agency, could immediately inform their respective group leader about the situation.

“In such situation the members of Ansar-ul-Islam of JUI-F will provide the MNAs round-the-clock security, as the opposition had termed the protection of their members is right top priority and some more measures will further be taken,” sources said. Sources said the opposition members have also been asked if they would receive any phone call from certain quarters, should immediately contact to their respective group leaders. They said the opposition members were told to confine their movement, especially avoid foreign travel till voting on the no-confidence motion.

Sources said the joint opposition has also formed a legal committee that would immediately provide legal support in case of arrest of any opposition member.