Opposition submits no-confidence motion against Pakistani PM Imran Khan

A delegation of senior opposition lawmakers submitted a no-confidence motion against Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan with the National Assembly Secretariat today (March 8, 2022), 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.

PPP leader Naveed Qamar said the motion, requisitioning a National Assembly session, had signatures of more than 100 lawmakers. According to NA rules, in order for a session to be requisitioned to vote on a no-confidence motion, signatures from at least 68 MNAs are required.

In order to make the no-confidence motion against the prime minister successful, the joint opposition requires the support of 172 MNAs. After the filing of the motion, the NA speaker has between three to seven days to summon a session of the NA to conduct voting.

Last year in March, Imran Khan 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.

'GOVT WILL BECOME STRONGER'

PM Imran, speaking to reporters at the PM House, asserted that his government would not be ousted and would become stronger.

He said he was glad that this would be the opposition's last attempt to oust him. "We will defeat them in such a manner and they will not be able to recover from it until 2028," he said.

The premier claimed that there were "multiple foreign hands" behind the opposition. He further said that he had completed his preparation, adding that a "captain doesn't reveal his strategy all at once".

The prime minister said those who did not want an independent foreign policy were supporting the opposition. He added that former prime minister and PPP leader Yousuf Raza Gilani's sons had offered money to lawmakers but nobody took any action – in an apparent reference to a video showing Ali Haider Gilani explaining to lawmakers how to cancel their votes.

The prime minister reiterated that the Pakistan Army was with Pakistan and would never support "these thieves". "The opposition does not have the support of the people so they say that the establishment is with us."

The premier further remarked, "What will happen if the no-trust move does not succeed? A mind game is being played at present, and I am the master of mind games."

Copyright: Dawn/Asia News Network