In a major development, Federal Minister for Law Dr. Muhammad Farogh Naseem announced that Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) will quit Prime Minister Imran Khan’s cabinet today.
According to media reports, Dr. Farogh said that the MQM-P federal ministers will send their resignation to PM Khan at 1 pm today. Dr. Farogh Naseem reportedly said that he and Information Technology Minister Aminul Haq will resign from their offices.
The two ministers, who belong to MQM-P, resigned after the party pledged support for the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan Tuesday.
While talking about his resignation, Dr. Farogh Naseem reportedly said that MQM-P stood by the government until the end. However, PM Khan’s own people left him. Therefore, the blame does not lie with MQM-P. Furthermore, he said that he is bound by his party’s policy.
Read more: After blackmailing PTI, MQM-P gets two ministries, development funds for Karachi
I consider farogh naseem second best minister among the sitting cabinet.#PTIGovernment pic.twitter.com/m5gYkXMnS6
— سید علی حیدر عابدی (@AbidiAlyFCMA) March 30, 2022
MQM's Federal Ministers Farogh Naseem and Aminul Haque resigning.
— Wajahat Kazmi (@KazmiWajahat) March 30, 2022
MQM-P joins Opposition
Pakistani politics took an alarming turn this week. After weeks of consultations, PML-Q finally sided with the government in exchange for the Punjab Chief Minister seat. On the other hand, MQM-P apparently came out in support of the Opposition.
PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari confirmed the news on his official Twitter handle. In a tweet, Mr. Bilawal said, “The united opposition and MQM have reached an agreement.”
The united opposition and MQM have reached an agreement. Rabta committee MQM & PPP CEC will ratify said agreement. We will then share details with the media in a press conference tomorrow IA. Congratulations Pakistan.
— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) March 29, 2022
Similarly, in a tweet apparently confirming the claim made by the PPP chairperson, MQM-P leader Faisal Sabzwari said the “arrangement has taken shape”.
متحدہ اپوزیشن اور متحدہ قومی موومنٹ پاکستان کے درمیان معاہدہ نے حتمی شکل اختیار کر لی ہے
پیپلز پارٹی کی سی ای سی، ایم کیو ایم پاکستان کی رابطہ کمیٹی مجوزہ معاہدے کی توثیق کے بعد اس کی تفصیلات سے کل شام۴ بجے باضابطہ میڈیا کو آگاہ کیا جائے گا۔
@MQMPKOfficial @PPP_Org @pmln_org— Faisal Subzwari (@faisalsubzwari) March 29, 2022
Important to note, the MQM-P remains the only ruling party ally to make a decision in the no-confidence motion. MQM-P will reveal its final decision in a press conference scheduled today at 4:00 pm. AT the conference, MQM-P will reveal the details of the agreement with PPP.
Read more: MQM-P demands a separate urban province in Sindh
According to sources, MQM-P and PPP discussed certain clauses about a future agreement regarding Sindh’s administrative and local government issues.
While the MQM-P has moved towards the Opposition, there are reports that PTI is still making attempts to win them back. To clarify, sources said PML-Q leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has stepped in with “backdoor contacts” to woo the coalition partner back into the government fold.
Similarly, Governor Sindh Dr. Imran Ismail and Defence Minister Pervez Khattak called on MQM-P leaders at the Parliament Lodges late Tuesday night and conveyed to them a message from PM Khan.
The MQM-P, which has seven members in the National Assembly, is a key ally of the PTI government and its decision in the ongoing political scenario will decide whether PM Imran’s government will survive the no-trust vote.