ISLAMABAD: A key coalition partner of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party clarified on Wednesday it had not joined the opposition ahead of the no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Imran Khan, though one of its top leaders had bitterly criticized the federal government a day before and said it was in “trouble.”
Pervaiz Elahi, a senior leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), made headlines on Tuesday by openly speaking up against the government, raising widespread suspicion that his party was in the processing of abandoning the prime minister at a crucial political juncture.
In the brief statement on Wednesday, Elahi called the prime minister an “honest” man, pointing out the PML-Q was a government ally but a separate political party.
“We have neither left the government nor joined the opposition,” he clarified. “We are part of the government and have supported it in every difficult time.”
He added: “There are different opinions within political parties but decisions are made with mutual consultation. Prime Minister Imran Khan is honest and his intentions are good.”
Following the submission of the no-trust motion against the prime minister by the opposition last week, Khan has scrambled to meet senior leaders of his party as well as disgruntled figures within and reached out to leaders of allied parties to ensure they vote in his favor.
The opposition requires at least 172 votes in the 342-member National Assembly to topple Khan’s government. The current party position in the lower house of parliament shows the opposition collectively has 162 members while the government enjoys the support of 179 lawmakers, including its coalition partners.
Opposition parties, however, say they have the required numbers to win the no trust vote as they struggle to convince the government’s allied parties to leave the coalition.
“This running around, going from room to room, this is proof that he [Khan] is in trouble,” Elahi had said in an interview to local Hum News on Tuesday. “[He is] 100 percent in trouble.”
“This government has spoiled its contacts with everyone, even its own people,” the PML-Q leader said. “They are panicking because of their own people now, aren’t they? The tongue is something that can either mend ties or break them.”
Khan, who rose to power in a 2018 general election that critics say was rigged in his favor by the military, has always been known for his brash style of politics. The military denies it interferes in politics.
As pressure around the no-confidence motion gathered in the last two months, with widespread accusations against the PTI of bad governance and mismanagement of the economy, Khan reportedly did not follow the advice of senior leaders to make amends with estranged figures like Jahangir Khan Tareen, once his closest ally, and give assurances to coalition partners like the PML-Q.
Khan has also reportedly refused to remove Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, a longtime demand of both the opposition and allied parties.
Government’s key allied party denies it has joined opposition after criticizing PM Khan
https://arab.news/jau3d
Government’s key allied party denies it has joined opposition after criticizing PM Khan
- Pervaiz Elahi, a top PML-Q leader, describes Prime Minister Imran Khan as an ‘honest’ man who has good intentions
- Earlier, the PML-Q leader had said Khan was ‘panicking’ ahead of the no-trust vote since he had lost contact with everyone
Pakistan assures US of facilitating foreign investment, increasing business engagement
- Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb meets US deputy assistant secretary of South and Central Asian Affairs
- Both sides discuss Pakistan’s progress in implementing reforms, avenues for increasing economic cooperation
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Wednesday reaffirmed Islamabad’s commitment to facilitating foreign investment and enhancing engagement with the American business community, the Finance Division said in a statement.
The statement was issued after Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb met Mark Pommersheim, the US deputy assistant secretary of the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs. Pommersheim called on the Pakistani finance minister along with US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker at the Finance Division.
Both sides discussed Pakistan’s economic outlook, reform agenda and avenues for enhancing bilateral economic cooperation, the statement said.
“The finance minister reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to facilitating foreign investment and maintaining regular engagement with the US business community, including the US Chamber of Commerce and the American Business Council,” the Finance Division said.
Aurangzeb informed the US officials about the progress regarding Pakistan’s macroeconomic stabilization reforms. He shared that Pakistan’s fiscal deficit has declined in recent months while the country’s current account has improved due to strong remittance inflows and growth in IT exports.
The finance minister noted that reforms in Pakistan’s state-owned enterprises and “right-sizing” of the public sector are being accelerated to improve efficiency and reduce fiscal risks.
The Finance Division said Pommersheim acknowledged Pakistan’s efforts toward fiscal stabilization, welcoming improvement in key macroeconomic indicators.
“He emphasized that the United States values a stable and prosperous Pakistan and noted that strengthening the investment climate remains a shared priority,” the statement said.
“He observed that US businesses are closely watching reform progress and that improved policy consistency would further support commercial engagement.”
Pakistan has sought to re-energize economic diplomacy with Washington as it attempts to enhance its exports, attract foreign investment and stabilize its economy under an International Monetary Fund-backed reform program.
Relations between Pakistan and the US have improved significantly under President Trump’s administration. In July 2025, the two countries agreed to a bilateral trade deal that included reciprocal tariff reductions.
Since 2025, the two sides have increased diplomatic contacts, including meetings between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan’s military leadership and US officials, alongside discussions on trade, minerals, security cooperation and regional stability.
