PML-N succeeds in filing no-trust move against Elahi

PA secretariat finally allows party MPAs to enter assembly premises

LAHORE:

PML-N Lawmakers on Thursday submitted a no-trust motion in the Punjab Assembly Secretariat against Speaker Chaudhry Parvez Elahi -- a PML-Q leader and a candidate for the chief minister post -- terming the move as the “last nail in the coffin” of the senior politician’s 40-year-long career.

The secretariat finally allowed PML-N MPAs to enter the assembly premises to submit their motion -- a day after the PTI submitted a no-confidence resolution against its own deputy speaker, Sardar Dost Muhammad Mazari.

Chaudhry Amir Habib, the secretariat’s special secretary, received the motion against Elahi from PML-N MPAs Sami Ullah Khan, Khalil Tahir Sundhu, Pir Ashraf Rasool, Khawaja Salman Rafique, Mirza Javed and Mian Abdur Raoof.

The motion, which carries the signatures of a few PML-N lawmakers, read: “Speaker Parvez Elahi has lost his confidence in majority members of the House. The province’s matters are not being run in accordance with the constitution of Pakistan and Speaker Elahi ruined the democratic traditions of the province by following his vested interests.”

Talking to media, the PML-N lawmakers termed the move as “the last nail in the coffin” of Elahi’s 40-year-long political career.

They added that Elahi’s politics had come to its end and his dream of becoming the Punjab chief minister would never be accomplished.

On Wednesday, the joint opposition had also submitted a no-trust motion against Elahi, but it was not accepted by the assembly secretariat. That no-confidence resolution against the speaker had alleged that he had violated assembly rules and influenced assembly matters despite having no jurisdiction as he was currently contesting for Punjab chief minister slot.

The PTI had submitted a no-trust motion against Deputy Speaker Mazari for withdrawing the order postponing Wednesday’s session to April 16.

After submitting the no-trust motion, the PML-Q claimed that the deputy speaker was no longer eligible to summon the House after the motion had been submitted against him.

The resolution against Mazari contained signatures of the PTI's provincial assembly members and was submitted on the basis of distrust against him.

Mazari had moved the Supreme Court to take notice of the ongoing constitutional crisis in the province, and expressed concern over the lack of cooperation in the assembly secretariat after he had summoned the House.

Talking to the media, Mazari said his staff was also being harassed and pressured, despite him having the powers of the speaker as the current speaker, Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, was now contesting for the chief minister’s position.

"In accordance with law, I can conduct the House despite the no-trust motion that has been moved against me," Mazari said, adding that the election was for the post of the chief minister, not the deputy speaker.

He further said that the assembly secretariat was unlawful in its act of not allowing the lawmakers to enter the House and that people were aware of the perpetrators who did not want the session to be conducted.

On Wednesday, a large contingent of police carrying batons and equipped with shields was deployed outside the building of the assembly. Water cannons and Rescue 1122 vehicles were also present there.

Barbed wire was placed around the boundary of the secretariat. Nobody -- including media personnel – was allowed to enter the assembly premises.