The National Assembly’s crucial session is going to take place today after two days of break with the opposition-sponsored no-trust motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan on the agenda.
Earlier, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser adjourned the assembly session after adopting a fateha for the late MNA Khayal Zaman. On Friday, the NA speaker spurned the joint opposition’s request to table and adopt the no-trust motion against the prime minister, earning the ire of the opposition members, who accused him of partisanship.
The combined opposition claims to have the support of more than 172 members to vote on the no-trust motion as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government struggles to woo allies and its dissident members, who have hinted to support the no-trust motion against the premier.
Earlier, Jamhoori Watan Party chief Shahzain Bugti parted ways with the PTI and announced to support the opposition parties. After Bugti’s quitting of the coalition government, the number of treasury members has now reduced to 178 in the 342-member National Assembly while the combined opposition has 163 MNAs with dissenting PTI members on their side.
The no-trust motion against the prime minister is likely to be tabled today, however, voting on the resolution is likely to be held on April 4, as hinted by Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid earlier. Rashid had said that the government will take maximum time for putting the no-trust resolution to vote after the speaker allowed it to be tabled.
Under the rules, from the day the resolution is moved, it “shall not be voted upon before the expiry of three days, or later than seven days”.
PTI’s crucial allies, the Pakistan Muslim League-Q and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, have not yet made up their mind in favour or against the no-trust motion with its leaders holding meetings with the ruling party and opposition members for a better bargain.
The National Assembly also has a constitutional amendment bill, moved by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi seeking the creation of the South Punjab province, on the agenda in today’s session.
