After several ruling party lawmakers announced that they would not follow the party line in the no-trust vote against Prime Minister Imran Khan, the opposition leaders urged him to step down voluntarily, saying that he has "lost the majority" in the National Assembly.
Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said that MNAs have been threatened with violence, arrest and dire consequences if they take part in the no-confidence process, reported The Express Tribune.
Bilawal said PPP along with Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) will take all measures to protect lawmakers from 'fascist regime.'
"Their lives, liberty and family are under threat. MNAs will take any and all means for their own protection against this fascist regime," he wrote on his official Twitter handle.
Meanwhile, disgruntled ruling party lawmaker Raja Riaz revealed that as many as 24 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNAs were staying in the Sindh House in Islamabad due to "security concerns".
"We will not show all our cards now. IA (InshaaAllah) a few friends will respond to IKs (PM Imran) accusations. More to come in the coming days. Out of respect to the OIC conference, we don't want anarchy in Islamabad. The government must not provoke us," said Bilawal.
The Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) meeting is slated to be held on March 24.
"Today, Imran Khan has lost the moral legitimacy to run the government and the country. Clearly, the Imran Khan has no majority in the House," said PPP Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Punjab chapter President Rana Sanaullah expressing similar views called upon PM Imran to reign after "losing the support" of the majority of lawmakers in the lower house of parliament, reported The Express Tribune.
He said as of now only ruling dissident PTI MNAs have surfaced. "Three ministers are also coming out now... just don't panic."
Another senior leader of PML-N Khawaja Asif said PM Imran should prove the support of 172 MNAs in the house which is a "constitutional requirement".
He added that opposition parties are all set to expel the premier from the "stadium".
Ahead of the vote on the no-confidence motion moved by the Opposition against Prime Minister Imran Khan, dozens of dissident Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNAs came out in the open on Thursday.
The dissident MNAs were found staying at the Sindh House in Islamabad, with two of them - Raja Riaz and Malik Nawab Sher Waseer - saying their vote on the no-trust vote will be "accordance with their conscience", reported the Dawn newspaper.
Giving a clear indication of their stance in the upcoming vote, several other PTI lawmakers -- including MNAs Noor Alam Khan and Basit Bukhari -- were staying at the facility, the media outlet reported citing a TV footage.
Citing fears of government action against them, there are around 24 PTI lawmakers staying at the Sindh House, the Pakistani publication quoted Riaz, a member of the Jahangir Tareen group, as saying to Geo News.
( With inputs from ANI )
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