ISLAMABAD: A group of dissident lawmakers led by estranged ruling Pakistan Tehreen-e-Insaf party leader Jahangir Khan Tareen has said it would support Pervaiz Elahi as Punjab chief minister after Usman Buzdar tendered his resignation to Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday, local media supported. 

The government announced on Monday the PM had nominated Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, leader of a key coalition party, as chief minister of Punjab. Earlier in the day, the opposition in the Punjab Assembly submitted a no-confidence motion against Buzdar. He resigned hours later. 

In return for the CM nomination, Elahi’s Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid party will side with Khan in a no-trust vote, expected to take place early next month.

The PML-Q’s support would be crucial for Khan in the vote sought by the opposition earlier this month and tabled on Monday. Khan's four coalition parties have a total of 20 seats in the lower house of parliament. Without them, Khan's party, which has 155 seats in the lower house, would fall short of the 172 needed to retain power.

The support of the Tareen group for Elahi’s nomination is also important at a time when Khan was believed to be fast losing allies, with many lawmakers from his party announcing they were defecting and would vote against him in the parliamentary motion.

Talking to SAMAA TV, a spokesperson for the Tareen group, Faisal Hayat Jabboana, said Elahi was a “reasonable” candidate for chief minister.

“Members of the Tareen group had met Pervaiz Elahi and he is a reasonable candidate,” he said. “Jahangir Khan Tareen would also support the decision.”

The opposition requires at least 172 votes in the 342-member National Assembly to topple PM 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.

The ruling PTI accuses the opposition of bribing its lawmakers to vote against the prime minister.