A delegation of senior opposition lawmakers submitted the no-trust motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan with the National Assembly Secretariat on Tuesday, PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said.
The confirmation from her came after a delegation of opposition lawmakers, including Rana Sanaullah, Ayaz Sadiq, Shazia Marri and Marriyum Aurangzeb, had reached Parliament House in Islamabad.
Aurangzeb said National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser was not present in his office which is why the document was submitted with the secretariat
According to Article 54 of the Constitution, the NA speaker has a maximum of 14 days to summon a session of the house following the requisition.
After the session has been called, the NA secretary will circulate the notice to members and the resolution of a vote of no-confidence will be moved on the next working day.
From the day the resolution is moved, it “shall not be voted upon before the expiry of three days, or later than seven days,” according to the rules of procedure.
Last year in March, the premier had voluntarily sought a trust vote following an upset in Senate elections. In a show of strength, he had secured 178 votes – six more than required – to win the vote of confidence from the National Assembly. Opposition bigwigs on Monday appeared confident about the success of the no-trust motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan, which was submitted to the National Assembly Secretariat earlier in the day.
Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif and PPP co-chair Asif Ali Zardari held a joint press conference in Islamabad to explain the reasons behind the move.
Shehbaz kicked off the press conference by explaining the need for the no-confidence motion against the government. “What has been done to this country’s economy and socially, there is no other example of such destruction in Pakistan’s history,” he said, adding that the rise in inflation was the biggest concern according to latest surveys He also lamented foreign policy failures, regretting the fact that “friends” that had supported the country during tough times were angered. “What type of foreign policy is it to upset China,” he asked, pointing towards criticism and “baseless allegations” against Chinese funded development projects. The PML-N said PM Imran had criticised the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor before his election to the office of the prime minister. He further censured PM Imran for lambasting European Union (EU) countries over asking Pakistan to vote against Russia during a recently held special session of the United Nations General Assembly.
This, he lamented, had angered EU nations . He said that opposition lawmakers held meetings for several weeks and had decided that the “people would not forgive them” if they had delayed it further.
Shehbaz said a meeting was held between PPP and PDM leaders was held yesterday (Monday) at Zardari House in Islamabad, where it was decided that the no-confidence motion would be submitted in the National Assembly today.
“We kept it a secret,” he said, adding that the motion was eventually submitted today.