Govt plots strategy to outfox opposition

Decides to stop disgruntled members from casting vote under Article 63-A

ISLAMABAD:

A day after the opposition submitted its no-trust motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan with the National Assembly Secretariat, the government has started crafting strategy on how to render the move unsuccessful.

The ruling PTI has decided that its disgruntled members will not be allowed to cast their no-confidence vote under Article 63-A of constitution.

The decision was taken in a meeting between National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser and senior leaders of the PTI at the Speaker House Islamabad.

The participants of the meeting discussed important matters including the current political situation, opposition’s no-confidence motion and summoning of the NA session.

In a bid to foil the move, the huddle decided that the government lawmakers would be advised not to attend the NA session on the day voting for the no-confidence motion takes place. It further deliberated that only Parliamentary Affairs Adviser Dr Babar Awan would be present in the house from the government’s side on the occasion.

The meeting decided that under Article 63-A the estranged members of the ruling party will not be allowed to cast their votes.

Read: No-trust motion: Defection clause in sharp focus

The PTI chairman will also write a letter to the NA speaker against members of the ruling party who come to parliament on the day of no-confidence voting, seeking their disqualification.

Meanwhile, parliamentary sources said that a notification would be issued by March 21 to summon the NA session.

The duration of opposition’s request to convene the lower house session within 14 days will complete on March 22, however, the session will be summoned by March 25, sources said.

Under the constitution, the NA speaker is bound to convene the assembly session within 14 days after the submission of the requisition notice.

The NA session on the first day will be adjourned without any proceedings due to the death of PTI MNA Khial Zaman Orakzai. The session cannot be adjourned for an indefinite period without bringing an end to the no-trust move.

The House is required to proceed within seven days after taking up the no-confidence motion on agenda.
Parliamentary sources noted that legal and parliamentary experts had started consultations with the NA speaker on the issue of no-confidence motion, adding that the session of the lower house would be convened in accordance with the rules and regulations of the House.

Read: Fawad urges speaker to immediately convene NA session for no-trust vote

It was further said that the signatories to the no-trust motion would be verified and that the issue would continue till March 30 if the NA session is convened on March 21.

Parliamentary sources said that the proceedings of the no-confidence motion will not be held anywhere else other than in the lower house.

The matter of convening the assembly session within 14 days will be separated from the no-confidence voting process of seven days.