PTI allies withdraw support for electronic voting machine: sources

ISLAMABAD: The backdoor lobbying of the government led by Prime Minister Imran Khan has reportedly failed to garner the support of parliamentarians over the electronic voting machine (EVM) bill that Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf is set to table, ARY News learned from sources.

According to the insiders, the lobbying with the government bloc to seek support for the bills, to be tabled by PTI, have failed as Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan (MQM-P) and Pakistan Muslim League – Q (PML-Q) have shared their reservations.

We were not consulted over the EVM and its terms of reference, the parliamentarians objected according to the sources. The allies have withdrawn their support for the EVM bill.

The development, said the insiders, has led to the postponement of the joint parliamentary session scheduled for tomorrow wherein various bills, including one of NAB Ordinance, were to be tabled.

MQM-P mulling breaking away from PTI cabinet, says Waseem Akhtar

Separately late yesterday, MQM-P leader and former port city mayor Waseem Akhtar said that his party, currently in the treasury seats enjoying alliance with the ruling party, is long-mulling parting ways with them as Karachi people who voted them still await any progress.

In an exclusive interview tonight, with ARY’s Har Lamha Purjosh program, the former mayor of Karachi said despite being allies with the ruling Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf since the beginning, the MQM-P was still not allowed to operate from its political offices in Karachi.