Pak opposition fails to dislodge Speaker

The two major opposition alliances -- the secular Alliance for Restoration of Democracy and the religious Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal bloc -- boycotted the vote over the deputy Speaker's refusal to allow a full debate on the motion.

The motion against the speaker, Chaudhry Amir Hussain, was tabled last week when the 342-member lower house passed a bill allowing President Pervez Musharraf to renege on his pledge to quit as army chief by the end of the year.

The opposition has been protesting in parliament since then and plans to mount a public campaign next month to force Musharraf to shed the uniform.

Most government lawmakers did not attend yesterday's session, prompting the opposition to allege the ruling coalition had orchestrated their absence for fear some of its members could side with the opposition in the ballot.