PTI calls meeting of parliamentary party in Punjab today

PML-N's no-confidence motion against Punjab CM Elahi to be voted on next Friday or Saturday

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Thursday called for a meeting of its parliamentary party in Punjab during which the party's 177 MPAs will ratify the decisions taken by Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi and party chief Imran Khan. 

Yesterday, all 10 MPAs of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) in the Punjab Assembly also ratified the decisions.

The PTI and PML-Q have decided to remain allies and face the vote of confidence and no-trust motion against CM Elahi together.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN)'s no-confidence motion will be voted on either next Friday or Saturday.

As per the constitutional procedure, a notificationis issued to the speaker's office seven days after receiving the no-confidence motion and the voting in the assembly takes place after three to seven days after the notification.  .

The opposition needs 186 votes for no-confidence but has only 177 votes. On the other hand, PTI and PML-Q combined have 187.

Earlier, a delegation of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and PML-N lawmakers submitted a no-confidence motion against Elahi in a bid to forestall the dissolution of the Punjab assembly.

Read Punjab at centre of political tug of war

The resolution was immediately followed by an order from the Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman, directing the Elahi to seek a vote of confidence from the assembly on Wednesday, December 21, dealing a blow to the PTI’s plans to disband the legislature on Friday, December 23.

Chief Whip of PML-N Khalil Tahir Sindhu said that Elahi would have to take a vote of confidence at any cost and would lose his position as the head of the Punjab government if he fails to do so.

However, Punjab Assembly Speaker Sibtain Khan reportedly declared the governor’s summons illegal. The speaker, who belongs to the PTI, maintained that the session for a confidence vote cannot be summoned while the House is in session.

On Wednesday, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said that the vote of confidence and no-trust motion against Elahi would be faced together by the alliance of his party and PML-Q.

As per the law, the chief minister cannot dissolve the assembly once a no-confidence motion has been moved against him. The governor’s recent requirement for the chief minister to seek a vote of confidence from the house means he has to ensure that he manages to secure 186 votes in the assembly.