ISLAMABAD: National Assembly (NA) Speaker Asad Qaiser on Tuesday rejected the claim that the number of votes reposing trust in Prime Minister Imran Khan during the March 6 confidence vote did not match the number of MPs in attendance, challenging the opposition parties to prove its accusation.
PM Imran won a vote of trust from the lower house on Saturday, securing 178 votes against the 172 required to win confidence. The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), the 11-party opposition alliance, had boycotted the session.
But Mohsin Dawar, a Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) leader and the sole member of the opposition present during the vote, claimed that the number of MPs present in the House during the vote did not match the numbers that the government claimed had voted in favor of the prime minister.
Talking to the reporters in Islamabad, Speaker Qaiser, who was flanked by Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, said: “I challenge the opposition alliance to prove their allegations.”
“If a single vote is proved to be voted in favour of Prime Minister Imran [through fraud], I will tender my resignation,” Radio Pakistan quoted him as saying.
The speaker said that he has constituted a committee comprising members from both the treasury and opposition to probe the unpleasant incidents that took place inside and outside the parliament on the day of the confidence vote.
He urged the political parties to work for strengthening democracy and promote a culture of mutual respect. “We have to promote democratic norms and should not lose the moral ground,” he said.
He said that a free press is the basic requirement for democracy and assured to provide necessary facilities to reporters.
Speaking on the occasion, Senate Chairman Sanjrani announced to reach across the aisle as part of his campaign for a second term in the office.
He said that regardless of whoever wins the election of the Senate chairman, the focus should remain on strengthening the parliament and democracy.
