Suri quits before no-trust against him

National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri on Saturday stepped down from his post before voting on a no-confidence resolution against him could be held.

He submitted his resignation to the assembly secretariat an hour before the session was supposed to start in which he had to face the no-trust move.

As the session started, PML-N’s Ayaz Sadiq, who initially chaired its proceedings, announced that Suri had resigned from his post as the lawmakers present in the House rejoiced at the news.

Sadiq added that the secretariat would announce the date for the election of the new deputy speaker.

Suri shared a copy of his resignation on Twitter saying that it represented his association with the vision as well as the “great legacy” and democratic values of his party, the PTI.

“We will never compromise on Pakistan’s sovereignty and security. We will fight for the country’s interests and independence. We will go to any length to protect Pakistan,” he wrote.

Suri had given gave the controversial ruling during the NA session on April 3, while rejecting the no-confidence motion against then premier Imran Khan, saying that  saying that it was backed by a foreign state therefore, it was “unconstitutional” under Article 5 of the Constitution. He then prorogued that the session without the vote on the motion.

However, his ruling was struck down by the Supreme Court on April 7.

The next day, the joint opposition had moved a no-confidence resolution against Suri, accusing him of violating the constitutional provisions, besides rules and parliamentary and democratic traditions.
A resolution was filed with the National Assembly secretary for Suri’s removal from the deputy speaker’s office under Article 53(7) of the Constitution.

In his resignation, Suri claimed that he could no longer remain “indifferent” to the “foreign interference” that ousted ex-prime minister Imran Khan.

He added that Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) director general’s press briefing on April 14 had proved to him that there has been “a blatant foreign interference/involvement in the internal affairs of Pakistan.”

Suri claimed that he, as the acting speaker, had been privy to the classified letter and its contents were indicative of foreign intervention. However, the response of state institutions to the letter was “shocking and completely unacceptable for any sovereign nation with self-respect, dignity, and pride.”

The former deputy speaker said ex-PM Imran had been targeted due to his stance on Islamophobia and independent foreign policy due to which he “blatantly refused to provide military bases” for action against Afghanistan.

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Suri regretted that there had been a “failure to stand up to the foreign intervention and aggression” and he found it “unconscionable to continue” in his duties.

“Our great country and its people deserve better,” he wrote, adding that no “reasonable” government, institution or patriot should knowingly and deliberately inflict the dire consequences of such a destructive move”, thereby risking the prospect of damaging the country’s independence, interests, and sovereignty.

The ex-deputy speaker urged the Supreme Court to take notice of the matter and form a judicial commission to unearth the conspiracy, saying he believed it to be a great failure of politics in leaving millions of people destitute.

“Our politics need urgent and radical reform,” he wrote, “local Mir Jafars have sold their souls and conscience for monetary gains and worldly benefits.”

Suri's resignation further stated: “Against this backdrop, I am constrained to, hereby, tender my resignation with the sanguine hope that it may be accepted. And that the Honourable Supreme Court will unearth this conspiracy as it is now a fight for Pakistan's sovereignty and real democracy against the US instigated regime change."

In a tweet, former federal information minister Fawad Chaudhry praised Suri, saying that the way in which he "fought against a foreign conspiracy" would become a part of history.