PM Imran Khan's address to nation 'postponed', announces Senator Faisal Javed

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan's address scheduled for today has been postponed, confirmed PTI Senator Faisal Javed Khan.

Taking to his Twitter handle, he wrote: “PM Imran Khan's address to the nation for today has been postponed.”

Earlier today, Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed had told journalists that the premier will address the nation today after an emergency meeting of the federal cabinet.

The premier today announced that he will reveal to senior journalists and PTI allies “written evidence" of the letter he has been saying contains evidence of a foreign conspiracy against the government, as he wants to silence his critics who have been calling news of the letter "a drama".

Read more: PM Imran Khan to unmask 'written evidence of foreign conspiracy' for senior journalists, allies today

Following the announcement, Rasheed revealed that Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry has invited 10 journalists today who will be shown the letter.

“Politics has started,” he said, adding that voting on the no-confidence motion will be held on April 3.

MQM-P officially announces decision to part ways with PTI

Meanwhile, MQM-P announced to part ways with the ruling PTI, joining hands with joint Opposition to support their no-confidence motion against PM Imran Khan.

The MQM-P Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said that his party has decided to develop a working relationship with the joint Opposition, aimed at the development of Pakistan — and not for personal or party gains.

"I hope we work to develop an era where political differences are not considered as enmity, where political revenge does not exist, and where politicians start bearing each other," he added.

Khalid Maqbool refuses to attend cabinet meeting

Despite PM Imran’s invitation to the cabinet meeting today, MQM-P’s Khalid Maqbool refused to attend the cabinet meeting.

Sources privy to the matter told Geo News that the prime minister called for a meeting after the members of the federal cabinet showed concern over the announcement by the premier to show the “threat letter” to the media.

Read more: MQM-P's Farogh Naseem, Aminul Haque step down as federal ministers

The PM invited MQM-P’s Khalid Maqbool and BAP’s Khalid Magsi to attend the meeting. However, Maqbool refused to join the meeting, and no contact could be made with Magsi.

MQM-P's federal ministers step down

Meanwhile, both members of MQM-P serving as federal ministers, Farogh Naseem and Aminul Haque, have stepped down from their posts.

Naseem, who served as federal minister on law and justice, and Haque, who served as federal minister on information technology and telecommunication, submitted their resignations to the prime minister as soon as they got permission from MQM-P's Rabta Committee.

The ministers believed that making such a decision was not right as long as they are members of PM Imran Khan's cabinet and, therefore, decided to resign from the federal cabinet first.

It was expected that Naseem would side with the prime minister against the party as he valued his advice throughout the three-and-a-half years since the formation of the government, but since he was elected as a Senator from MQM-P’s quota, he went with the party’s decision.