PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf-led (PTI) coalition government has lost its majority in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly in the wake of Imran Khan’s decision of issuing notices to at least 20 members for being allegedly involved in the selling of votes in the Senate elections.
According to information collected from various sources by Pakistan Today, at least eight PTI and its supporting MPAs have joined other parties whereas around 10 others have been indifferent to the party and government affairs.
At least 63 are required out of 124 total seats in the assembly for the formation of government in the province. PTI’s current strength stands at 60 and its coalition Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) comprises of seven members.
Now, in the light of Imran Khan’s decision, the coalition government’s strength has been reduced to 47.
Qaumi Watan Party KP President and Parliamentary leader Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao, Awami National Party’s (ANP) Sardar Hussain Babak and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) MPA Ziaullah Khan Afridi said that they were engaged in contacts with each other for submitting a requisition for assembly session.
They said that the purpose of the assembly session will be to ask the chief minister for a vote of confidence or show a majority in the house of 124. They said that now there was no justification for PTI and its coalition partners from JI to remain in power.
The PTI MPAs who joined other parties or announced their disassociation from PTI include Ziaullah Afridi, Javed Nasim, Deena Naaz, Wajeehul Zaman, Babar Salim, Jamshed Mohmand, Qurban Ali Khan, Zahid Durrani, Ubaid Ullah Mayar and Nagin Khan.
Those who were served with show-cause notices on the charges of selling votes include Yaseen Khalil, Gul Sahib Khan, Nargis Ali, Fauzia Bibi, Nasim Hayat, Arif Yousaf, Faisal Zaman, Samiullah Alizai, Sardar Idrees, Amjad Afridi, Abdul Haq, Khatoon Bibi and Meraj Humayun Khan.
In light of losing at least 20 MPAs, it seems very hard for KP CM Pervez Khattak to demonstrate a majority in the house of 124.
Ironically, Nasim Hayat is not only considered amongst senior leaders of PTI but is also stated to be a relative of the chief minister.