Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser has announced to convene a session on March 25 to consider the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan. About 100 MPs from Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan People’s Party gave a no-confidence motion to the National Assembly Secretariat on March 8. It has alleged that the Imran-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government is responsible for the economic crisis and inflation in the country.
The Speaker has called the session under the power conferred under Articles 54(3) and 254 of the Constitution of Pakistan. The Secretariat issued a notification on Sunday and clarified the situation regarding the important session. The opposition had demanded convening of the session by March 21 as per legal requirements. As per the notification- the session will start at 11 am on Friday. This will be the 41st session of the current National Assembly.
The lower house of parliament will consider the opposition’s no-confidence motion against the prime minister on March 25. If this motion is formally accepted by the House, then the vote can be held between three to seven days. Both the government and the opposition are trying their best to turn the situation in their favour. Imran Khan, 69, is heading the coalition government. If some allies decide to switch sides, they may have to withdraw.
The opposition needs 172 votes in the 342-member National Assembly to remove Imran Khan. His party has 155 members in the house. He needs at least 172 MPs to remain in government. On the other hand, Imran has accused the opposition of buying the MPs of his party. He said that on one side big dacoits have gathered, on the other side there are those who have fought against these dacoits for 25 years. The people of the country will have to decide for themselves.