The no-trust motion against Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has been dismissed by the Deputy Speaker who cited a security threat. Khan, who asked his supporters to hit the streets ahead of the trust vote, is likely to address the nation.
Pakistan National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri dismissed a no-trust motion against embattled Khan, terming it against Article 5 of the Constitution.
Suri chaired the crucial session after opposition parties filed a no-confidence motion against Speaker Asad Qaiser.Opposition lawmakers, who earlier appeared confident of the success of the no-trust move as they made their way to Parliament House, protested against the decision.The Opposition parties need 172 members of the 342-member National Assembly to orchestrate the defeat of Khan and already they have claimed the support of 177 members, more than the needed strength to oust the prime minister.
The combined opposition filed the no-confidence motion on March 8, setting a set of events leading to the day of voting and rise in the tension due to Khan’s insistence that he was being targeted as part of the “foreign conspiracy” with the collaboration of top opposition leaders.Khan, 69, on Saturday issued a call to the followers of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, especially the youth, to hold “peaceful protests” on the day of voting to reject the conspiracy and assembly proceeding to topple the government. He earlier described the rebel lawmakers as ”traitors” and said that they will be branded as such for the rest of their lives as he pleaded with them to come back and foil the Opposition’s attempt to topple his government.
