Karachi

Both the members of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) serving as federal ministers, Farogh Naseem and Aminul Haque, have stepped down from their posts, hours after their party's announcement to side with the Opposition in the vote of no-confidence against Prime Minister Imran Khan, Geo News reported.

Naseem and Haque submitted their resignations to Prime Minister Khan.

 The government has been facing back-to-back blows as the voting day on the Opposition's no-trust motion nears.

 In a major blow to the PTI, the MQM-P on Wednesday decided to desert the ruling party and join hands with the joint Opposition to support the no-confidence motion moved against Imran Khan.

 Following the development, the government lost the majority in the Lower House and the no-confidence motion against Khan -- on which the National Assembly is expected to vote on April 3 -- will likely be successful.

 With 177 members, the Opposition now has more numbers in the NA and they do not need the support of the disgruntled PTI MNAs. On the other hand, the government is left with the support of only 164 members of Parliament.

 Earlier, Imran Khan's special assistant (SAPM) on reconciliation and harmony in Balochistan and Jamhoori Watan Party leader Shah­zain Bugti parted ways with the government, while announcing his resignation from the federal cabinet.

 The development came on Sunday after a meeting of the politician with PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and pther PPP and PML-N lawmakers. Bilawal called on Bugti at his residence to seek his support for the vote of no-confidence against Khan