ISLAMABAD: After weeks of meetings and threadbare negotiations aimed at firming up a strategy to oust the PTI government before March 23, the opposition parties are set to submit a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan in the National Assembly’s secretariat next week, Pakistan Today learnt on Saturday.
According to the sources, drafts of the no-confidence motion and letter for requisitioning the session of the lower house have been prepared to be submitted in the office of NA speaker.
The sources said that the opposition parties are fully cognizant of the fact that Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser may use delaying tactics in summoning the session or raise objections on the no-confidence motion. To deal with such a scenario and stop the speaker from violating the mandate of his office, they said, a legal team of the opposition parties has also prepared a petition, which will be filed in the Supreme Court to seek its intervention.
“The government will not be allowed to hide behind any pretext even the renovation work currently being carried out at the Parliament House for the upcoming meeting of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers,” they said, adding the opposition wants to oust the government before March 23.
It merits mentioning that the speaker can delay summoning the session for two weeks, if the requisition for the session is forwarded by the opposition. The offices of the National Assembly secretariat have partially been closed from 7th to 11th March in connection with the preparation for the OIC meeting. However the notification issued by the National Assembly’s secretariat states that the offices the NA speaker, deputy speaker and secretary will remain open.
The rules and procedures regarding the no-confidence motion against the prime minister state that it shall not be voted upon before the expiration of three days or later than seven days from the day on which such a resolution is moved in the house. Such a resolution is moved by not less than 20 percent of the total membership of the National Assembly.
The sources further claimed that the opposition has the requisite numbers to oust the prime minister, adding that even if the allies of the PTI, including the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), MQM-Pakistan and PML-Q do not come on board, the opposition has the support of sufficient numbers of PTI’s members for the success of the no-confidence motion.
According to political analysts, it will also be a tricky situation as the floor crossing will trigger the disqualification clause.
In the house of 342 members, the opposition has around 160 votes in its ranks and for the successful adoption of the no-confidence motion, it has to get 172 votes at the time of counting.
The voting on the no-confidence motion against prime minister is held via open ballot.
