FM Qureshi Says PTI Won't Accept 'Minus-Imran'

FM Qureshi Says PTI Won't Accept 'Minus-Imran'
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has reaffirmed the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)'s allegiance to Prime Minister Imran Khan, saying there was 'no room for minus one' as the ruling party stands with the PM.

At a press conference in Islamabad on Friday, the foreign minister assured that the party would not be abandoning the prime minister, following rumours that the party would need to distance itself from Imran Khan in order to survive the current political turmoil.

Qureshi appealed to the 'cool minds' of the PTI lawmakers stationed at Sindh House, telling them that PTI was ready to listen to their 'valid concerns' as 'sensible people'.

"If they were elected on the bat [PTI's election insignia]  there were hopes attached to them. There are disagreements in every party but these are resolved. You cannot sit in the lap of opponents," he said.

Qureshi added that PTI's political committee had decided to issue show-cause notices against those MNAs who had aligned themselves with the opposition and a presidential reference would be moved against them.

The foreign minister also quashed calls for governor rule in Sindh, saying "There was no plan to impose governor rule in Sindh, neither there will be."

Earlier, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) Convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui had proclaimed that PM Imran Khan was unlikely to remain in power following the opposition's no-confidence vote, and said that PTI would need to tread carefully in navigating the current partisan upheaval.

“If the advisers are correct, a decision can be made to save democracy and Pakistan. The PTI government may survive, but the prime minister is unlikely to”, Siddiqui was quoted as saying.