ISLAMABAD: The allies left the PakistanTehreek- e -Insaf (PTI) government hard and dry on Wednesday by decling to vote in favour of its two key bills. One , the bill relating to the use of electronic voting machine (EVM) in next general elections. Second, the bill relating to extension to the incumbent chairman, Justice (R) Javed Iqbal. The allies straight No to vote to support these two controversial bills forced the government to cancel announced and formally summoned joint sitting of the parliament scheduled for November 11, 2021.
A day before, president, Dr Arif Alvi, had summoned the joint sitting of the parliament to take up many important bills including one for EVM use and other to provide extension to the incumbent NAB chairman.
The government was relying on these two bills for its future line of action and political planning. With simple No from the allies on EVM and NAB ordinance , the government has plunged into a serious political crisis. Losing of the allies support for the controversial bills is more than a simple defeat for the government. The new situation suggests that the PTI government has lost thin majority in the parliament. Although, Information minister, Fawad Hussain Chaudhary and Interior minister, Shaikh Rashid Ahmad, downplayed the setback that PTI suffered by cancelling joint sitting and called it as a deliberate attempt to hold further consultation with the allies on the bills, but turning -up of only 170 ruling members of the parliamement against strength of 221 at a dinner hosted by prime minister, Imran Khan, narrated the true story.
The government’s retreat on Wednesday may add to its political problems in coming weeks.
Pakistan People Party (PPP) chairman, Bilawal Bhutto, also hosted a dinner for opposition members. Speaking on the occasion, Bilawal Bhutto said the government fled from joint sitting after losing support of its allies and even its own members on controversial bills. Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) president, Shahbaz Sharif, termed cancellation of joint sitting by the government as a big victory of the opposition. He stressed the need of unity among opposition parties to enhance pressure on weakening PTI government.