90pc of MPs oppose Imran
ISLAMABAD: Only two political parties in parliament out of the 18, one having one member (Sheikh Rashid) while the other having seven members (two MNAs Ch Pervez Elahi and Tariq Cheema and five senators), are supporting Imran Khan’s August 14 long march while 15 political parties, including that of ex-army chief Musharraf, either vehemently oppose it or do not support it.
These 15 political parties opposing the long march constitute more than 90% of the total strength i.e. 403 MPs out of the of the elected representatives openly oppose any attempt to destabilise a democratic government by staging a long march just 14 months after the elections or threats to topple it by using ‘force’.
Leading figures of the political parties have come on record to condemn the moves and design of PTI chief and have advised him to wait till the next elections and try to come to power by winning elections and not by using hidden hands. Some political parties do not oppose the long march and term it a democratic right of every one but still condemn PTI chief for being desperate to grab power without winning elections and by using unfair means.
There are 18 political parties in National Assembly, which have 341 members (total strength is 342 but one seat NA-38 (TribalAreas-III) is vacant). In the National Assembly, PML-N has 190 MNAs, PPP has 46, PTI 34, MQM 23, JUI-F 13, PML-F 5, JI 4, PKMAP 4, NPP 2, PML-Q 2, ANP 2, BNP 1, QWP (S) 1, PML-Z 1, NP 1, AML 1, AJIP 1, APML 1 while there are 8 independents making a total of 341. Except one member of Awami Muslim League (AML) and two members of PML-Q (Ch Pervaiz Elahi and Tariq Bashir Cheema) no other party is supporting Imran Khan’s long march in National Assembly.
Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and senior PPP leader Syed Khursheed Shah also advised PTI chief on Monday not to reach ‘the point of no return’.ANP is a vocal opponent of PTI being used by undemocratic forces.ANP spokesman Zahid Khan has repeatedly stated his party’s condemnation of Imran Khan’s attempts to destabilise democratic institutions through long march and by threatening to topple the government. Maulana Fazlur Rehman of JUI-F has openly stated that PTI chief is working on foreign agendas and wants to destabilise Pakistan.
PkMAP and NP have also opposed all such moves. Other parties are neither becoming part of Imran’s long march nor are supporting it.Interestingly, Iftikharuddin, MNA from NA-32 Chitral who represents ex-army chief General Musharraf’s APML in the National Assembly while talking to The News on Monday said that his party may be supporting the long march but he personally does not endorse the long march and other such tactics because of which the democratic system could be derailed or disturbed.
Iftikharuddin said that in his opinion both government and PTI should sit and discuss all problems in a democratic way. He said he opposes any kind of confrontation that could prove fatal for the democratic system.
There are total 104 senators. PPP has 40 senators, PML-N has 16, ANP has 12, MQM has 7, JUI-F has 6, BNP-A has 4, PML-Q has 5, NP has 1, PKMAP has 1, PML-F has 1 while there are 11 independents. Even in the Senate, only PML-Q senators are supporters of Imran Khan’s march while more than 95 percent senators oppose Imran’s tactics.