No trust motion: we will be successful even without PTI allies, says Ahsan Iqbal

• He says numbers of PTI MNA's want to dissociate themselves from the government.
• Ahsan Iqbal says around 20 MNA’s of PTI are in contact with us.
• PML-N leader went on to say that the government was panicked and trembling.

PML-N senior leader Ahsan Iqbal has said that no one can blackmail PML-N in exchange for rendering support for a no-trust move as we have huge support inside of PTI and would successfully sail a no-confidence motion even without the support of PTI allies.

Talking on the Geo News Programme Aaj Shahzab Khanzada Kay Saath, Ahsan Iqbal said that PML-N has a firm stance and in the last three years has paid a price for party ideology and principles. Therefore, we don’t want to be engaged in political logrolling.

"If someone thinks of blackmailing PML-N in exchange for offering support for the vote of no confidence against Prime Minister Imran Khan, it will not work as we have strong contacts with many PTI members of parliament as well as government allies," he added.

Responding to a question regarding Nawaz Sharif's disagreement on Pervaiz Elahi’s name for the CM Punjab slot, Ahsan Iqbal stated that the opposition was getting huge support to oust the incumbent government and would surely succeed in sailing no trust move from the national assembly without the support of government allies.

Ahsan Iqbal said that PTI allies would have to decide their political fate by themselves, either to quit or plunge with the incumbent government.

"We are getting massive support inside of PTI for the no-trust move. A number of PTI members of the national assembly (MNA) want to dissociate themselves from the incumbent government due to mass pressure," he said.

The former interior minister claimed that "around 20 MNAs of PTI are in contact with us and want to get rid of the party."

The PML-N leader went on to say that the government was panicked and trembling. The recent prime minister relief package announcement proves the regime was shaken by opposition strategy to oust the government. Nevertheless, the government's fall was imminent if no one interfered.

Meeting between Shahbaz Sharif, PML-Q leaders delayed

The meeting between the Opposition Leader in the National Assembly, Shahbaz Sharif, and the Speaker of the Punjab Assembly, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, has been delayed, Geo News reported, citing sources.

According to sources, the PML-N president had invited PML-Q's leadership to dinner; however, the latter had yet to confirm their availability.

They further said that Shahbaz had invited PML-Q leaders Pervaiz Elahi and Moonis Elahi last week, and they had promised to get back in two days. However, no response has been received so far.

PPP, JUI-F table Pervaiz Elahi's name to PML-N for CM Punjab

Earlier, the Opposition parties set the political temperature soaring in the country as the PPP and JUI-F put an option to offer Punjab's chief ministership to PTI's close aide PML-Q on the table before PML-N in a bid to move a no-confidence motion successfully against Prime Minister Imran Khan in the National Assembly, Geo News reported.

PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, chairman Bilawal Bhutto and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman met PML-N president and opposition leader in the NA, Shehbaz Sharif, at his residence on Wednesday.

According to sources, in the meeting, opposition parties discussed the name of PML-Q leader Pervaiz Elahi for Punjab’s CM portfolio.

"JUI-F and PPP have proposed the name of Pervaiz Elahi for Punjab chief minister to muster PML-Q support while the leadership of both parties were persuading PML-N on this matter," said sources.