After today’s events, PM Imran Khan's survival is difficult: MQM-P leader Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui

• MQM-P leader Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui expresses regret over incidents surrounding Sindh House.
• PTI government can survive but prime minister’s survival is unlikely, he says.
• Says other democratic ways could have been used to tackle the situation.

MQM-P Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, an ally of the PTI government, observed on Thursday that it was very difficult for Prime Minister Imran Khan to survive the vote of no confidence after what transpired over the Sindh House between the government and the Opposition.

“After today’s events government’s survival is difficult. PTI government can survive but the prime minister’s survival is unlikely,” said Siddiqui on Geo News' programme "Aaj Shahzaib Khanzada ke Saath."

The MQM-P leader expressed regret over the incidents that occurred today, adding that other democratic ways could have been used to tackle the situation. He added that the government would not be able to survive if the situation remains like this.

Siddiqui was commenting on the war of words that ensued between the government and the Opposition after PTI MNA Raja Riaz claimed that at least 24 ruling party MNAs had "sought refuge" at the Sindh House in Islamabad.

Riaz had claimed that if PM Imran Khan assures all MNAs that no action will be taken against those who decide to vote against him on the day of the no-confidence motion, they are ready to go back to the Parliament Lodges.

PTI MNAs Malik Nawab Sher Waseer and Riaz said that around 24 PTI members have been staying in the Sindh House right now. Riaz further said that "many other ministers are ready to come here."

We will leave after we oust Niazi: Qadir Patel

PPP MNA Abdul Qadir Patel said that the disgruntled members of the PTI are "living peacefully in the Sindh House," and “will leave after we oust Niazi [Imran Khan].”

Patel said that it is the MNAs' constitutional right to cast their votes and they are ready to see how many people PTI manages to gather for the March-27 jalsa. Holding a comparison, he said that a flood of people was seen during PPP’s long march.

'Fearing action, 'lotay' have been identified'

Taking a jibe at Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry, he said that he changes his stances depending on the party he is associated with. Claiming to have 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. Whenever he finds a good package, he switches his place.”

After the videos of the PTI MNAs emerged, Fawad had said that some lotay (a derogatory term used for turncoats) have been identified after they feared that action would be taken against them.

Taking to his official Twitter account, the minister wrote: “Had they been conscientious, they would have tendered their resignations.”

He urged the speaker of the National Assembly to take action against these “traitors” and demanded a lifetime disqualification for them.

'PPP using Singh House for its nefarious designs'

Earlier today, in a bid to thwart the Opposition’s no-trust move, the PTI political committee meeting, headed by PM Imran Khan, decided that Islamabad's Sindh House will not be allowed to turn into a horse-trading hub, well-informed sources revealed.

The Sindh House started making headlines after a federal minister accused the PPP of using the building for its "nefarious designs."

On March 14, federal minister Ali Zaidi had claimed that the PPP has deployed additional SSU commandos at the building "to protect the bags of looted wealth #ZardariMafia brought to try [and] bribe our MNAs!"

Following up on his statement, the PTI minister also wrote a letter to the secretary establishment, demanding an immediate inquiry on SSU Sindh DIG Maqsood Memon.

Sources privy to the matter said that the meeting decided to strictly monitor the lawmakers and Sindh House to ensure that no one falls prey to horse-trading.

Civilian intelligence agencies were directed to closely observe the location, mobile phone data and the movement of lawmakers, and report to the premier on a daily basis.