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Pakistan’s law on floor-crossing provides that MPs who defect could lose their seats if they then vote against their party, but Khan’s government aims to find out whether that also applies before they cast their votes.
Several of Khan’s lawmakers have withdrawn their support, stoking more uncertainty over whether the former cricket star can hang on to power, following warnings from his coalition partners that they could join the opposition.
The loss of dissident lawmakers has left Khan with over dozen seats less than the minimum of 172 needed for a majority.
The opposition jointly commands 163 seats in the lower house, but could build a majority if most of the defectors effectively join its ranks via the no-confidence vote.
Khan has appealed to the dissidents to return to the party, promising forgiveness.
The opposition and political analysts also say Khan has serious differences with Pakistan’s powerful military, whose support is critical for any party to secure power in the way his upstart party did four years ago.
Khan and the military deny the accusation.
(Reporting by Asif Shahzad; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
Pakistan seeks lifetime disqualification for defectors from PM Khan’s party (msn.com)