Dozens of dissident MNAs from the ruling PTI came out in the open on Thursday and were found staying at the Sindh House in Islamabad, with Raja Riaz and Malik Nawab Sher Wazeer saying they would vote in favour of the no-confidence motion tabled against Prime Minister Imran Khan in accordance with their conscience.
TV footage showed several other PTI lawmakers – including MNAs Noor Alam Khan and Basit Bukhari – staying at the facility, giving a clear indication which side they were tilting towards in the upcoming vote that will decide the fate of the prime minister.
Speaking to a news channel, Riaz, who is a member of Jahangir Tareen group, said there were around 24 PTI lawmakers staying at the Sindh House, citing fears of government action against them similar to the March 10 raid by police on the Parliament Lodges.
He further said if Imran gave the guarantee that no police action would be taken against the MNAs irrespective of their decision regarding the vote, he was ready to move to the Parliament Lodges from the Sindh House.
“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 to us, and this is why we are here,” Riaz said.
“No one has given us any money. God willing, we will give our vote based on our conscience. We are not afraid of anyone. We are here only as a precautionary measure.
Last month, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry alleged that three PTI MNAs had been offered bribes to support the opposition’s planned no-confidence motion in the parliament.
When asked if he had taken Rs200 million to switch allegiance, Riaz chuckled and replied: “I cannot think of accepting even a rupee.”
Another PTI MNA, Noor Alam Khan, said he was “very disappointed” to know of allegations being leveled against the dissident lawmakers.
“When we came to Imran Khan sahab and had voted for him, were we given Rs200m then? When we voted for the speaker did we get 200m then?”
He appealed to the chief justice of Pakistan, chief justice of Islamabad High Court, chief election commissioner and the Islamabad district administration to ensure that every MNA, irrespective of who he wants to vote for, is provided protection to reach the National Assembly for the no-confidence vote.
When asked whether he would go to the parliament on the day of voting, he replied, “Definitely. It is my right.”
Another MNA Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani revealed what led him to swap the Parliament Lodges for Sindh House. He recalled that a pair of men from the PTI recently came to the Lodges and accused him of “being a traitor to the party” and even threatened to vandalise his cars.
“This happened the day before yesterday at the Parliament Lodges. They were from the PTI. I wasn’t there at the time but my wife informed me.” “Then I approached Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah through someone and told him that I wanted a room at Sindh House. Murad Ali Shah said all rooms were booked but I told him my problem was genuine. “When I came here, I saw a completely different environment. There are around 24 MNAs … most are joining the PML-N, two to three are joining the PML-Q, and two to three are going elsewhere.
“And three federal ministers have left [the PTI],” he added. Another PTI MNA at Sindh House who also aired his grievances against the party was Basit Bukhari. Meanwhile, MNA Malik Nawab Sher Waseer said he would not contest the next general elections on a PTI ticket.
A day earlier, the government claimed the opposition had detained some ruling party lawmakers at Sindh House ahead of the vote after a statement by Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi that around a dozen MNAs belonging to the PTI had ‘gone missing’.
The premier said in a public address on Wednesday that opposition leaders were sitting in the Sindh House with “heaps of money” to purchase loyalties of treasury lawmakers and had asked the election commission to take action against the alleged horse-trading.
PPP leader Faisal Karim Kundi had earlier confirmed the stay of some lawmakers at the Sindh House during a press conference with PPP MNA Shazia Marri. “Every member has a right to stay there. These members are from the opposition and our allies,” he had said, adding that MNAs had been kept there as they feared they could be kidnapped ahead of the no-trust vote.
The PTI members who are currently staying at the Sindh House include Raja Riaz, Nawab Sher Waseer, Rana Qasim Noon, Ghaffar Wattoo, Noor Alam Khan, Riaz Mazari, Basit Bukhari, Khawaja Sheraz, Ahmad Hasan Dehar, Nuzhat Pathan, Ramesh Kumar, and Wajeeha Qamar. It has been learnt that a list containing the names of MNAs staying at the Sindh House has been sent to PM Imran Khan.
PPP MNA Abdul Qadir Patel told the channel that the disgruntled members of the PTI are “living peacefully in Sindh House,” and “will leave after we oust Niazi [Imran Khan].”
Patel said that it is their constitutional right to cast their votes and they are ready to see how many people PTI manages to bring on March 27 jalsa. He was of the view that a flood of people was seen during the PPP’s long march.
Taking a jibe at Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry, Patel said he changes his stances with the party he is in. Claiming to have his screenshots where the information minister was cursing PTI members, he said, “Fawad is doing his job and he is following the practice of multinational companies where ever he finds a good package he switches his place.”
