Pakistan: Ahead of no-trust vote, dozens of dissident PTI lawmakers come out in the open

Islamabad [Pakistan], March 17 (ANI): Ahead of the vote on the no-confidence motion moved by the Opposition against Prime Minister Imran Khan, dozens of dissident Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNAs came out in the open on Thursday, local media reported.
The dissident MNAs were found staying at the Sindh House in Islamabad, with two of them – Raja Riaz and Malik Nawab Sher Waseer – saying their vote on the no-trust vote will be “accordance with their conscience”, reported the Dawn newspaper.
Giving a clear indication of their stance in the upcoming vote, several other PTI lawmakers — including MNAs Noor Alam Khan and Basit Bukhari — were staying at the facility, the media outlet reported citing a TV footage.
Citing fears of government action against them, there are around 24 PTI lawmakers staying at the Sindh House, the Pakistani publication quoted Riaz, a member of the Jahangir Tareen group, as saying to Geo News.
Riaz added that he was ready to move to Parliament Lodges from Sindh House if Imran Khan guaranteed that no police action will be taken against MNAs irrespective of their vote.
“All of the media and the nation know that the police attacked the lodges and our opposition MNA was tortured and taken to the police station. After that, we — those who had been dissenting for a long time against inflation, corruption, the SAPMs and the lawlessness, and had been raising our voice in front of Khan sahab — felt that the incident that happened in the Lodges could also happen with us, and this is why we are here,” said Riaz while speaking to Samaa News.
Notably, Islamabad Police on March 10 stormed Parliament Lodges and made 19 arrests including key Opposition members of the National Assembly after members of Ansarul Islam, a uniformed volunteer force set up to protect the leadership of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F), entered the Parliament Lodges in large numbers.
Following this, the Opposition accused Imran Khan of coercive measures ahead of the no-trust vote.
Meanwhile, the Opposition parties in Pakistan had submitted the no-trust motion in the National Assembly secretariat on March 8. While the PTI government has exuded confidence to defeat the no-trust motion, the Opposition is sure that they will oust Khan. (ANI)