Trust vote: Sanaullah hints at governor's rule in Punjab

• Parvez Elahi does not have sufficient numbers to win a vote of confidence, claims Sanaullah. 
• “Thieves clashed with each other a day earlier," he says. 
• There would be a disaster in the country if Khan returns to power, he predicts.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Tuesday claimed that Chief Minister Parvez Elahi did not have sufficient numbers to win a vote of confidence and warned of imposing governor’s rule if the need arises.

Referring to yesterday’s uproar in the provincial assembly, the interior minister said: "Thieves clashed with each other a day earlier." He maintained that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Pakistan Muslim League-Qauid's (PML-Q) "ugly faces would be exposed before the masses".

“We have never claimed that we have 186 numbers [the number required to oust the chief minister]. We have 179 votes in the house,” clarified the minister. CM Elahi will have to take a vote of confidence at all costs, he added.

Reacting to PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s desire to come back to power, the minister said that there would be a disaster in the country if he forms government again.

The interior minister that if Khan comes back to power, he would victimise his political opponents — as he did during the previous tenure.

Lashing out at the past PTI-led government, Sanaullah accused the “Imrani group” of ruining the country’s economy. He also criticised the Punjab CM and said that Elahi, his son, and PTI leaders were allegedly involved in corruption.

Holding Khan and CM Elahi responsible for the sharp rise in the dollar’s price, the minister said that they smuggled the greenback abroad.

Sanaullah barred from entering Punjab Assembly

Earlier today, PTI-controlled Punjab government barred Sanaullah, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Attaullah Tarar, and other party leaders from entering the Punjab Assembly.

As per the details, the police and the assembly staff stopped the PML-N lawmakers and leaders from entering the premises of the building; however, some of the members forced their way into it.

Speaking on the situation, Tarar said they had been told the federal ministers would not be allowed to go into Punjab Assembly. "How can they stop the ministers from entering the assembly?" questioned the SAPM.

Sanaullah, addressing a press conference with other party leaders, said the security agencies were also told not to let them (PML-N leaders) enter the assembly; however, they refused to follow the "illegal" orders.

"The IG Punjab was also asked to prevent us from entering the building but he refused to implement the orders," said the PML-N leader, adding they (the Punjab government) were using these tactics because they knew they did not have the numbers for the vote of confidence.

The interior minister said that this move was "unconstitutional and illegal". He added that the Punjab CM would have to take a vote of confidence.

The PML-N leader warned that if the Punjab government did not mend its ways, governor rule could also be imposed on the province.