Pakistan’s Leader of Opposition and PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif on Monday moved a no-confidence motion in the National Assembly against Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is facing his toughest political test since taking office in 2018.
As the much-awaited session began on Monday after a two-day recess, Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri asked the Members of Parliament, who are in favor of the motion, to stand so that their numbers could be counted.
Sharif first introduced a motion to allow the motion of no confidence in the National Assembly, the lower house of the bicameral parliament, which was approved by 161 yes votes.
Vice President Suri, who presided over the session in the absence of Speaker Asad Qaidar, ruled that “permission to move a no-confidence motion has been granted”.
This was followed by a no-confidence motion moved by Sharif, setting limits on the first stage of the constitutional process.
“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, Mr. Imran Khan Niazi, and as a result, that he under clause Will stop holding office. 4 ibid,” he said.
As the voting should take place between 3-7 days, Suri adjourned the session until 4 pm on March 31, when it will re-convene for debate and voting.
Prime Minister Khan needs 172 votes in the House of 342 to thwart the bid. As Khan’s aides, with 23 members still unwilling to support him, and nearly two dozen lawmakers from within the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf have revolted, the situation was still fluid.
The country plunged into uncertainty on March 8 when the United Opposition presented a resolution with the National Assembly with a request to the Speaker to convene the session compulsorily within 14 days.
Though the session was called on March 25, three days after the deadline, the Speaker refused to allow the motion to be moved.
Meanwhile, Khan’s party announced that it would support ally Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) leader Chaudhry Parvez Elahi as its chief ministerial candidate in Punjab, in order to vote for a key ally of the ruling coalition. to vote for. confidence motion in lower house
“Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf will support Chaudhry Pervez Elahi as chief ministerial candidate [in Punjab] And the PML-Q has announced to support the PM amid the no-confidence motion,” Shahbaz Gill, aide to the Prime Minister on Political Communications, announced in Urdu on Twitter.
Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farooq Habib said that Prime Minister Khan has nominated Elahi for the post. Khan’s aide and elected Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on Monday submitted his resignation to the Prime Minister.
The PML-Q, an important ally of the PTI at the Center and in Punjab province, has secured a central role in the ongoing political drama despite having only five members of the National Assembly.
The PML-Q reportedly asked Prime Minister Khan to announce Elahi in place of Punjab Chief Minister Buzdar before convening a session of the National Assembly to take up the opposition’s no-confidence motion. The demand for the removal of Buzdar was also made by close confidants of Prime Minister Khan in the party.
“Chowdhary Pervez Elahi met Prime Minister Imran Khan. All issues were resolved in the meeting. PML-Q expressed confidence in the PM and declared support. Chief Minister Usman Bajdar submitted his resignation to the PM. Prime Minister Imran Khan has decided to nominate Chaudhry Parvez Elahi as the new Chief Minister of Punjab,” Habib wrote on Twitter.
Earlier, a no-confidence motion was also filed against Buzdar.