The Pakistan People’s Party-led government on Sunday moved one step closer to a collapse as a key ally, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), decided to formally quit the Treasury benches.
“The MQM has decided to quit the government. We will sit on the Opposition benches,” MQM leader Farooq Sattar told reporters in Karachi after a meeting of the MQM coordination committee that was held simultaneously in Karachi and London with party chief Altaf Hussain in the chair.
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani immediately rejected any chances of the PPP losing power. “This will not happen. We will not go even if the MQM and others go,” he said in Lahore. Mr Gilani said he would talk to the angry allies and try to win back their support.
“We are in talks, but, let me assure you, there will be no change due to their withdrawal (from the government),” he added.
Another ally, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazal), has already left the government and political analysts say the MQM’s decision will definitely put the PPP government in trouble.
The MQM has 25 legislators in Pakistan’s National Assembly. However, the MQM has not taken any decision on leaving the coalition in Sindh province which is also led by the PPP.
Mr Gilani will now look to the forward bloc of the PML(Q) and the PML(N) for open or covert support. The PML(N) has 90 members in the National Assembly, the PML(Q) has 51, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazal) has eight, leading to a total Opposition strength of 149. After the 25 MQM members sit in the Opposition, this number will reach 174, more than half the Lower House total.