PM Imran Khan to become ex-PM this month, says Saeed Ghani

KARACHI: Sindh Information and Labour Minister Saeed Ghani Monday said the number of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) defecting MNAs was much higher than 15, adding that Imran Khan would become ‘former’ prime minister this month.

Addressing a press conference at the Sindh Assembly building here, he advised Imran Khan to bring with him just 172 MNAs to save his government instead of holding a one-million rally at D-Chowk in the federal capital.

Ghani said the PM did not command the confidence of the majority of MNAs and the ruling party had used the upcoming OIC conference merely as a pretext to delay the session of the National Assembly. He said that after a number of lawmakers of the ruling party had become disgruntled, the PM could not prove his majority in the National Assembly even if the allied parties of the government reaffirmed their loyalty to Imran Khan.

He said Imran Khan had become mentally upset, as he had started issuing senseless warnings to the dissident legislators of the ruling party that they would not be able to attend marriage events and their children would not be able to attend schools and get married. He reminded National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser that at the time of assuming the speaker’s office, he had taken the oath of allegiance to the Constitution rather than being loyal to Imran Khan. He said that Imran Khan’s exit from power was for sure, as no extreme step by the PM could save his regime.

He lamented that the National Assembly speaker had violated the Constitution, and proceedings could be initiated against him under Article 6 of the Constitution.

Ghani said the speaker was bound to convene the session of National Assembly within 14 days after the requisition had been submitted by the opposition for the purpose, but the Constitution was violated by delaying the convening of the session. He said there was no doubt that the speaker had been proving his allegiance to the PM instead of adhering to the Constitution.

Ghani said the MNAs concerned had opted to take refuge in the Sindh House in Islamabad after police had stormed the Parliament Lodges and arrested two legislators. He said the attack on the Sindh House by the PTI workers had proved valid all the concerns of the same MNAs about their safety.