Is PM Imran Khan’s ‘trump card’ still valid?

ISLAMABAD: Is Prime Minister Imran Khan's ‘trump card’ still valid and will it save his government?

On Monday, Speaker Punjab Assembly and PML-Q leader Pervez Elahi warned the prime minister to take a “major decision” before it is too late. Pervez Elahi did not explain in his public statement what the “major decision” is but a source close to him said that it pertains to an administrative decision about a powerful personality that needed to be taken for the continuity of certain important policies.

Now that the opposition has submitted on Tuesday the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan in the National Assembly, has the timing for the PM taking this “major decision” elapsed?

The political challenges for Imran Khan are now increasingly tough. It’s now Imran Khan versus the rest -- the entire opposition, indecisive allies and even the PTI’s internal Tareen-Aleem group.

While the opposition claims to have the support of over 20 PTI MNAs, the Tareen-Aleem group has set the condition of the removal of Usman Buzdar to talk about their role in the challenge being faced by Imran Khan at the Centre.

Imran Khan is not prepared even now to replace Usman Buzdar and is trying to win back the support of the disgruntled elements within the ruling PTI. Khan has now started talking directly to the angry MPs besides assigning his party leaders to persuade Tareen and Aleem not to join the opposition’s move.

Both Jehangir Khan Tareen and Aleem Khan -- who have been the major financiers for the ruling PTI for years --believe that they were wronged and jailed during the PTI government because of Imran Khan. Aleem Khan formally joined the Tareen group on Monday. On Tuesday, the group’s MPs met in Lahore and told the media about their decision not to accept Usman Buzdar as Chief Minister Punjab. They said that Jehangir Khan Tareen will decide what their role would be in the opposition’s no-trust move.

Khan’s allies are still behaving suspiciously. The PML-Q’s top leader Chaudhry Shujaat Husain, despite being unwell, rushed to Islamabad from Lahore on Tuesday and visited Maulana Fazlur Rehman at the latter’s residence. Chaudhry Shujaat, according to a source, is also likely to meet Asif Ali Zardari.

After the opposition submitted a no-trust motion against him in the National Assembly secretariat, the prime minister met Attorney General Khalid Javed to discuss the legal options available to him.

Sources claim that the attorney general advised the prime minister that constitutionally the government would have to call the session of the National Assembly and allow the voting on the no-trust motion. Any delay or hurdle would lead to the matter landing in the Supreme Court which would be embarrassing for the government.

The sources claim that Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry and Law Minister Barrister Farogh Nasim advised the prime minister to delay the opposition’s no-confidence motion as much as possible.

Meanwhile the PTI is now building a new narrative of an ‘international conspiracy’ being hatched with the help of some local hands to remove the Imran Khan government.

The challenge ahead for Imran Khan is huge. If he successfully emerges from what is the most serious battle of his political life, Khan will emerge as a powerful prime minister. The next 20 days will decide who will be the ultimate winner and who will end up as the ultimate loser.