By Zahid Shah 

ISLAMABAD (TSAT) - Pakistan's major opposition parties alliance, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) has pushed the South Asian country into a political crisis just a few days ahead of the major summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)  Foreign Ministers in Islamabad.

Pakistan is hosting the 48th session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers in Islamabad on March 22 and 23.

On March 9, the major opposition parties, Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz, led by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, currently living in London, and Pakistan People Party along with other small opposition parties submitted a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan. 

According to the country constitution, the speaker of the parliament has a maximum of 14 days to summon a session if 20% of members of the parliament submit a no-confidence motion against the Prime Minister.

The speaker now would summon the session of parliament till March 23, the day when the Pakistani nation celebrates its national day and its armed forces held a major parade which this year will also attend by the Foreign Ministers of the Islamic world. 

The opposition timing of a no-confidence motion against the premier Khan has created doubt among the nation that why political crisis created at a time when the Islamic world top diplomats preparing to visit Islamabad.

Its also for the first time that over 50 Foreign Ministers of Islamic countries will  participate in the Pakistan armed forces unique parade on the country’s national day.

“It is not that some so called poticians owing to their personal interests are going for IK removal; many foreign countries owing to their nefarious interests are desperate, too. The coalition between both is obvious. It has made job of identifying bads, easier,” Brig Amir Yaqub (retd) wrote on Twitter. 

On Friday, Pakistan Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood hold a meeting with ambassadors of OIC countries in Islamabad and briefed them about the preparation of the upcoming OIC FMs meeting. 

“The people of Pakistan were looking forward to welcoming the honored guests on this auspicious occasion,” Mahmood told the ambassadors.

The meeting apparently called to take the ambassadors into confidence because of the current political situation.

However, the Foreign Ministry didn’t share any details that whether the political situation also discussed and Mahmood briefed them over it. 

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday criticized the opposition and said they are not happy with his government policy to follow an independent foreign policy.

“When the heads of government in a country had their assets or money abroad, it cannot  follow an independent foreign policy,” Khan told a gathering in Dir district while accusing former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and President Asif Zardari of looted the nation's wealth and shifted abroad.

Khan said he will defeat the opposition's no-confidence motion and announced to hold a big gathering in front of parliament a day before voting on the no-trust motion in the National Assembly in Islamabad.

“A day before the no-trust move [in National Assembly] Insha Allah there will be a sea of people at D-Choke,” state-run APP quoted Khan as saying.

Opposition key leader Maryam Nawaz Sharif rejected Khan accusation of foreign hands behind the opposition move and said he is responsible for the current situation. 

“Open your eyes and see! Your party is falling apart and there is no opposition and no domestic or foreign conspiracy responsible for it. You are responsible for it, you have your dirty language, you have arrogance and pride, and Respect your members. It's too late now. Your empty threats are useless,” Maryam tweeted in the Urdu language. 

Maulana Fazlurehman on Friday also warned that despite the failure of the no-confidence motion against khan, opposition would not let him rule on the country anymore.

“MFR [Maulana Fazlurehman] says regardless of whether the Opp win the No Conf vote or not, he is determined not to let IK govern, come what may, and anarchy notwithstanding. This amounts to a declaration of war against what would be the legally constituted govt of Pakistan,” said Zafar Hilaly, a political analyst.

Khan's government was under huge criticism over its economic policies and price hike in the country for the last two years.

However, the people questions why the opposition remained silent and didn’t move any no-confidence when his government was increasing the prices of oil, electricity, and edible items.

“ This move [ no=trust motion] has created doubt that why they submitted a no-confidence motion and created a political crisis when Pakistan hosting a very important summit of OIC foreign ministers,” said Abdul Basit, a student of international relations in Islamabad. 

“This move will damage the image of our country not only in the Islamic world but also in other countries and I think this is not a right decision,” he said, adding Opposition could submit their no-trust motion after the OIC meeting as well.