RAWALPINDI: Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid gave President Dr. Arif Alvi advice on Tuesday to order Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to seek a vote of confidence from the National Assembly.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) ally claimed in a letter that Shehbaz’s Cabinet had lost the House’s confidence by refusing to pass a supplementary grant, provide the necessary funds, security, and support to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for general elections for the Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) assemblies.
Rashid argued that the NA had lost trust in the current leadership as a result of their refusal to follow directives, particularly the most recent directive from the Supreme Court to allot and distribute money from the Federal Consolidated Funds for holding elections.
The letter claimed that the government “deliberately” failed to uphold its promises after the Cabinet promised to address the “artificially created” financial crisis and give the ECP the necessary funds.
The premier and his Cabinet lost both the majority in the NA and the confidence of the people after they were unable to enact a supplementary budget, despite the AML leader’s assertion that the government needed to maintain a majority in the legislature.
He added that Article 73 of the Constitution, which indicates that the permission of the federal government is required for financial measures, and Article 84 of the Constitution, which specifies the legislative procedure for additional and excess grants, both highlight the procedure involving money bills.
According to the letter, the president was encouraged to call a meeting of the NA and secure a vote of confidence under Article 91(7) of the Constitution because PM Shehbaz was unable to adopt a supplementary budget to give the necessary cash.
Federal Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb clarified earlier that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has not decided to take the vote of confidence.
In a tweet, the information minister stated that there had been no such consultation and that it was unnecessary.
