LAHORE: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's party said on Monday that it will support ally PML-Q leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's Punjab chief minister candidate, in a bid to placate allies of the ruling coalition to vote against a no-trust motion introduced by the opposition in the National Assembly.
The prime minister's aide on political communication, Shahbaz Gill, made the announcement on twitter.
"Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf will support Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi as a candidate for the chief minister [in Punjab] and the PML-Q has announced to support PM amid in no-confidence motion," Gill said in a tweet in Urdu.
Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib said that Prime Minister Khan has nominated Elahi for the post.
Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) leader Moonis Elahi confirmed that the post has been accepted by Elahi.
Khan's protege and hand-picked Punjab chief minister Usman Buzdar presented his resignation to the prime minister on Monday.
The PML-Q, an important ally of the PTI at the Centre and the Punjab province, has acquired a central role in the ongoing political drama despite having only five Members of the National Assembly.
The PML-Q had reportedly asked Prime Minister Khan to announce Elahi as the replacement of Punjab Chief Minister Buzdar before calling the National Assembly session to take up the Opposition's no-trust motion.
Buzdar's removal was also sought by Prime Minister Khan's closest confidants in the party.
"Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi meets Prime Minister Imran Khan.
All issues were settled in the meeting.
PML-Q expresses confidence in PM and announces support.
Chief Minister Usman Bazdar tenders his resignation to PM.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has decided to nominate Chaudhry Pervez Elahi as the new Chief Minister of Punjab," Habib wrote on Twitter.
Earlier, a no-confidence motion was also filed against Buzdar.
According to an official handout issued by the provincial assembly secretariat, 127 provincial lawmakers signed the no-trust motion against Buzdar, while 120 signed the requisition notice to summon session within 14 days.
The political temperature in Pakistan has been slowly reaching a boiling point in the wake of the no-trust move by the Opposition in the National Assembly.
The Opposition parties are confident that they can get the support of 172 members in the house of 342 to dislodge the government, while the government claims that it enjoys the required support in the house to foil the attempt.
Khan came to power in 2018 with promises to create a 'Naya Pakistan' but miserably failed to address the basic problem of keeping the prices of commodities in control, giving air to the sails of opposition ships to make war on his government.
Khan, 69, is heading a coalition government and he can be removed if some of the partners decide to switch sides.
The PTI has 155 members in the 342-member National Assembly and needs at least 172 lawmakers on its side to remain in the government.