KARACHI: President of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) Maulana Fazlur Rehman said on Tuesday the government had lost support of its coalition partners, though they could take a couple of days to announce they were not voting for Prime Minister Imran Khan during the no-confidence session.
The PDM politician issued the statement during a joint news conference with Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leaders after holding a meeting with them in Karachi.
The opposition alliance submitted a no-trust motion against the prime minister in the National Assembly Secretariate on March 8, accusing his administration of mismanaging the country’s economy and foreign policy.
The Pakistani prime minister has also faced defections in his party and criticism from his allies, making the opposition claim that he has lost his majority in the lower house of parliament.
“The allies of the government are no longer with it, though they may take some time to announce their support for us,” the PDM president said during the joint news conference, adding: “I am leaving with full confidence.”
Asked about the chances of success of the no-confidence motion, Rehman said he was certain of it.
Speaking to media, a top MQM-P leader, Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, said he had an understanding with the PDM chief to continue such conversations with the opposition, though he added that his political faction was different from others in several respects.
“We have no political space,” he maintained. “We are only the political party with more than 100 workers missing.”
Siddiqui said the MQM-P also wanted a strong local government system.
The PDM president maintained the opposition Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which rules the Sindh province, was willing to accommodate MQM-P suggestions regarding the local government law.
Asked by Arab News if Rehman was right that MQM-P and other coalition partners of Prime Minister Imran Khan had decided to leave the government, Siddiqui said his party was not in a haste.
“We have yet to finalize our decision,” he said. “We are unhappy with the government and have a very bad experience with the opposition. We are not in a hurry and have more options than others.”
Siddiqui also informed that his party would not participate in PDM’s Islamabad march, adding the MQM-P was not part of the opposition and was still a component of the government.
Pakistani opposition alliance says government’s coalition partners no longer supporting PM Khan
https://arab.news/mdfxz
Pakistani opposition alliance says government’s coalition partners no longer supporting PM Khan
- The top PDM leader visits the MQM-P headquarters in Karachi ahead of the no-confidence vote against the prime minister
- An MQM-P leader tells Arab News his party may be unhappy with the government but it also has bad experience with the opposition
World Bank approves $700 million for Pakistan’s economic stability
- Of this, $600 million will go for federal programs and $100 million will support a provincial program in Sindh
- The results-based design ensures that resources are only disbursed once program objectives are achieved
ISLAMABAD: The World Bank has approved $700 million in financing for Pakistan under a multi-year initiative aimed at supporting the country’s macroeconomic stability and service delivery, the bank said on Friday.
The funds will be released under the bank’s Public Resources for Inclusive Development — Multiphase Programmatic Approach (PRID-MPA) that could provide up to $1.35 billion in total financing, according to the lender.
Of this amount, $600 million will go for federal programs and $100 million will support a provincial program in the southern Sindh province. The results-based design ensures that resources are only disbursed once program objectives are achieved.
“Pakistan’s path to inclusive, sustainable growth requires mobilizing more domestic resources and ensuring they are used efficiently and transparently to deliver results for people,” World Bank country director Bolormaa Amgaabazar said in a statement.
“Through this MPA, we are working with the Federal and Sindh governments to deliver tangible impacts— more predictable funding for schools and clinics, fairer tax systems, and stronger data for decision‑making— while safeguarding priority social and climate investments and strengthening public trust.”
The approval follows a $47.9 million World Bank grant in August to improve primary education in Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province.
In November, an IMF-World Bank report, uploaded by Pakistan’s finance ministry, said Pakistan’s fragmented regulation, opaque budgeting and political capture are curbing investment and weakening revenue.
Regional tensions may surface over international financing for Pakistan. In May, Reuters reported that India would oppose World Bank funding for Pakistan, citing a senior government source in New Delhi.
“Strengthening Pakistan’s fiscal foundations is essential to restoring macroeconomic stability, delivering results and strengthening institutions,” said Tobias Akhtar Haque, Lead Country Economist for the World Bank in Pakistan.
“Through the PRID‑MPA, we are launching a coherent nationwide approach to support reforms that expand fiscal space, bolster investments in human capital and climate resilience, and strengthen revenue administration, budget execution, and statistical systems. These reforms will ensure that resources reach the frontline and deliver better outcomes for people across Pakistan with greater efficiency and accountability.”
In Sindh, the program is expected to increase provincial revenues, enhance the speed and transparency of payments, and broaden the use of data to guide provincial decision making. The program will directly support the increase of public resources for inclusive development, including more equitable and responsive financing for primary health care facilities and more funding for schools.
