Will Imran be shown exit door? Pakistan Assembly to take up no-trust motion on Friday

ISLAMABAD: The crucial session of the Pakistan National Assembly will begin on Friday in which the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan will be moved.

According to the National Assembly Secretariat, the house will meet at 11 am, with Speaker Asad Qaiser in the chair, reported the Express Tribune.

A 15-point agenda of Friday's session issued by the Secretariat on Thursday night also includes the no-confidence motion.

Notably, acting on mutual hatred to oust Imran Khan, the Opposition parties submitted the no-confidence motion in National Assembly on March 8.

In the 342-member National Assembly, the Imran Khan government requires at least 172 members to sail through the no-confidence vote.

However, several dissident MNAs of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) came out in open and the government allies are reported to have sided with the Opposition, thus, it is yet to be seen if Imran Khan succeeds in defeating the no-trust motion.

Further, in reference to the defection of Parliament members, the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) on Thursday said that not counting votes that members will cast during no-trust proceedings against Imran Khan would be "contemptuous".

The top leaders of the opposition met on Thursday night to give the final touches to their strategy for the no-confidence motion. It was decided in the meeting that a meeting of the parliamentary parties of the opposition would be held one hour before the assembly session, The Express Tribune reported citing sources.

According to a report, the opposition would lodge strong protests if the proceedings were adjourned.

This comes after speculations that the speaker of the National Assembly Asad Qaiser may adjourn the session till March 30 or 31, reports said.

Before the session, a meeting of the Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) will be convened at the Zardari House in Islamabad with former president Asif Zardari and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in the chair.

Talking to the media, PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar said that the joint opposition would also hold a parliamentary party meeting on Friday (today).

"We have the numbers. PTI's allies will support us on the no-confidence," Babar told reporters. "When the voting takes place, everyone will be surprised. Maybe some ministers will also join us."

On the other hand, the ruling PTI has not issued any special instructions to its members for attending the session as the session has been requisitioned by the opposition, the report said.

The Pakistani National Assembly has a total strength of 342 members, with the majority mark being 172. The PTI led coalition was formed with the support of 179 members, with Imran Khan's PTI having 155 members, and four major allies Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) having seven, five, five and three members respectively.

Imran Khan's situation is precarious given that three of the four allies, that is, MQM-P, PML-Q and BAP have stated their support to the Opposition's no-confidence motion and said that they will vote accordingly

Upset with the news of allies joining the opposition camp, Imran Khan, in a last-ditch attempt, recently dispatched a team of senior PTI leaders to meet the allies and assure them that their reservations would be addressed.

Adding to Khan's woes, almost 20 members from his own party had recently sought refuge in the Sindh House in Islamabad, and are expected to vote in favour of the no-confidence motion.

The Opposition parties in Pakistan on the other hand hold the support of 162 members of the house and are expected to be joined by the three ruling coalition parties during the vote, helping them cross the majority mark, with 179 members supporting the no-confidence motion.

The National Assembly secretariat on Thursday night issued a 15-point agenda of Friday's session, which also included the no-confidence motion.

Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed on Thursday hit out at the turncoats of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and hinted at 'early elections'.

While addressing a press conference post holding a meet with Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, the interior minister said that those who switch loyalties won't get any respect, reported ARY News.

"Those switching loyalties should keep in mind that early elections could be held in the country," the minister warned. "There are reports that Usman Buzdar is quitting. No one is going anywhere. Buzdar is also standing with PM Imran Khan like a rock," he added.

In retaliation to the dissident PTI members who are ready to quit the party, Rasheed said that the ruling party also have the support of the opposition Minister of the National Assembly (MNAs). At the press conference, he spoke of his proposal to the Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan for the imposition of emergency in the centre and governor's rule in Sindh and said that though he made the proposals however it was rejected by the PM.

Rasheed said the ruling PTI will hold a historic public gathering at Islamabad's Parade Ground on March 27. He also said that action against those who spread fake news against institutions, including the army and judiciary will be taken, He added that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Pakistan's top probe agency has been directed to take strict action against those using social media for peddling such fake news, reported the news channel.

The Opposition parties in Pakistan are jettisoning mutual hatred to oust Imran Khan as they submitted the no-trust motion in the National Assembly secretariat on March 8. Khan is set to face a no-confidence vote against him today.