Opposition tables No-Confidence Motion in National Assembly

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: The joint opposition has moved a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan in the National Assembly on Monday.

According to reports, there were 161 votes in favour of the resolution to move the no-confidence motion in the house from the opposition.

While the treasury members of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) stood on their seats and chanted anti-opposition slogans.

Later, National Assembly’s Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri adjourned the Monday session till 4 pm on March 31. Now the no-confidence motion will be debated on March 31.

The no-trust motion was part of the 26-point agenda for the sitting of today’s session of the lower house. Another important bill that is on the assembly’s agenda was the government-sponsored constitutional amendment bill seeking the creation of south Punjab province.

As many as 147 members of the assembly belonging to the opposition parties have put their signatures on the no-confidence motion that was submitted in the Speaker’s Office on March 08.

The motion states that since the prime minister has lost the majority that’s why he should be removed from office.

The House adopted the joint opposition’s resolution to table the no-confidence motion after getting favour of more than 20 percent of members present in the chamber.

Interestingly, the opposition put a picture of a detained MNA Ali Wazir on his seat in the House to show his presence in the session.

Pertinent to mention here that as per the rules of the procedures of the national assembly, if 20 percent of the assembly members were in favour of the resolution, then the house would adopt it for discussion.

The opposition enjoys the support of 163 MNAs in a 342-strong house. After the Jamhoori Watan Party leader Shahzain Bugti who quit the government on Sunday, the number of treasury members has been reduced to 178.

However, three allies of government: PML-Q, Balochistan Awami Party and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan which joint have 17 members in the assembly have yet to decide which side they are on. These parties are still negotiating with both the government and opposition parties.