No-trust motion tabled in NA amid hullabaloo
After much ado, the no-confidence motion was finally tabled on Monday in the National Assembly against Prime Minister Imran Khan by Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif.
Before the tabling of the motion, the NA Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri, who was presiding over the session, asked the lawmakers in favour of the motion to rise so that the count could be made. Within minutes, the deputy speaker announced that a total of 161 members of the opposition parties were present in the assembly and, thus, the leave for presenting the motion against the prime minister was granted.
As the opposition leader stood up to present the motion, the treasury benches resorted to name-calling and continued making noise; some constantly shouted “cherry blossom” while other PTI lawmakers kept calling the opposition members “chor” (thieves).
Nevertheless, the opposition leader presented the motion amid hue and cry made by the government lawmakers and desk-thumping from the opposition members.
“This House is of the view that the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, has lost the confidence of the majority of the members of the National Assembly of Pakistan, therefore he should cease to hold office,” Shehbaz read.
"Through this resolution, under Clause 1 of Article 95 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, this House resolves that it has no confidence in the prime minister, Imran Khan Niazi, and consequently, he shall cease to hold office under Clause 4," the PML-N president readout.
Subsequently, the deputy speaker took not much time in announcing that the session was adjourned till March 31 for debate – and probably vote as well, that would decide the fate of the premier.
On March 25, the lower house of parliament was scheduled to take up the no-trust motion, but following parliamentary traditions on the demise of a lawmaker, only Fateha was offered and speeches were given after which the NA speaker adjourned the session till March 28 (Monday).
The session had started with the recitation of the Holy Quran and prayers were held for PTI MNA Khayal Zaman.
Ruling PTI's Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Shireen Mazari, Asad Umar and Ali Muhammad Khan were among those who attended the session, as well as Grand Democratic Alliance's Dr Fahmida Mirza.
From the opposition’s ranks, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari were present.
Read: Opposition submits no-trust motion against Punjab CM Buzdar
The opposition, which has 162 members, filed the con-confidence motion on March 8. The motion, moved by 152 opposition members, said that Prime Minister Imran had lost the confidence of the house. The ruling coalition currently has the support of 179 members of the National Assembly.
The no-confidence move comes as Pakistan faces a recurring economic crisis, with the incumbent government banking on the International Monetary Fund to release the next tranche of a $6 billion rescue package to shore up dwindling foreign currency reserves. Imran, 69, a former captain of Pakistan's national cricket team, lost a parliamentary majority with a series of defections from his party, and a united opposition is calling on him to step down. He has vowed to fight to stay put.
In his power show on Sunday, Imran blamed a foreign-funded conspiracy for trying to topple his government.
China is a long-time supporter and Pakistan, a traditional ally of the West, abstained from voting as the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly reprimanded Russia for invading Ukraine.
Nearly 20 defections in the ruling party and cracks in Imran’s coalition partners have made him short of the 172 votes, a simple majority, needed to hold on to power. To try to survive, the government announced it would give the post of chief minister of the country's largest province, Punjab, to one of its coalition partners.
But another ruling coalition party decided to join the opposition, making the opposition stronger with 168 votes.
The opposition and analysts said the prime minister has fallen out with the powerful military, which mostly determines who will rule, a charge both Imran and the military deny.
(With input from reuters)