According to media reports, Chief Minister Usman Buzdar held meetings with 155 members of the National and Provincial Assemblies in a span of five days. It appears that the Chief Minister may be aiming for the support of the MNAs and MPAs amid the no-confidence controversy.
As per details, the MNAs and MPAs were from various political parties including the Tareen and Aleem Groups. On Tuesday, he met with Provincial Ministers Mian Aslam Iqbal, Hashim Jawan Bakht and MPA Hamid Yar Hiraj. Furthermore, reports state that CM Buzdar also met with members of PPP and PML-N.
The members expressed confidence in PM Khan. They also said they will foil the Opposition’s no-confidence plan. Additionally, CM Buzdar will meet more MPAs and MNAs later today.
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Pakistan’s political heat is intensifying in the face of the Opposition’s no-confidence motion. The Opposition plans to oust the PTI government. For this, it also aims to dislodge CM Buzdar. To clarify, the Punjab Chief Minister seat is an attractive incentive for gaining PTI allies’ support.
PPP Co-chairman and opposition leader Asif Ali Zardari had nominated PML-Q MPA Chaudhry Parvez Elahi to replace Usman Buzdar in the role. Meanwhile, Aleem Khan Group and the PML-N have also reportedly decided to field a joint candidate to replace the Punjab Chief Minister.
The Opposition campaign against CM Buzdar is picking up pace. In fact, there were reports claiming that CM Buzdar even presented his resignation to PM Khan if it would resolve issues. However, the PM refused to accept the resignation and directed CM Buzdar to continue work.
Read more: Usman Buzdar best performing CM: Survey
پارلیمنٹیرینز کا وزیراعظم عمران خان اور وزیراعلیٰ عثمان بزدار پر اظہار اعتماد
وزیر اعلی عثمان بزدار سے آج بھی پارلیمنٹرینز ملاقاتیں کریں گے— . (@CMPunjabPK) March 16, 2022
JKT group’s stance on removal of CM Buzdar
While MPAs and MNAs assure CM Buzdar of support, there is no denying that tides are certainly changing against the Punjab Chief Minister.
A week ago, the leader of PTI Jahangir Tareen group Khurram Laghari rejected the formula of minus-Usman Buzdar.
In a statement, Khurram Laghari said that the decision could be of a single person and not by all. “I stand with Chief Minister Usman Buzdar,” he said and added he does not support minus-Buzdar.
On the other hand, Monday, PML-N reached out to the Tareen Group to seek their cooperation for a possible change in Punjab.
According to a joint statement issued after the meeting, members of the JKT group expressed their frustration over the situation in Punjab.JKT group agreed to remove Usman Buzdar from the office of chief minister.
Read more: Is Usman Buzdar going to be replaced?