Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The crucial National Assembly session to vote on the no-trust motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan has resumed after a long break.

The delayed session resumed at 2:30 pm and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi continued his speech.

The break had been prolonged, according to the source the voting is now expected to take place after 8pm.

The NA sitting was adjourned by the Chair after the Opposition members intercepted Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s speech and demanded to vote on the motion.

The voting on a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan is also on the agenda. The no-trust motion is at the fourth position in the six-point agenda.

The joint opposition needs the support of at least 172 lawmakers from a total of 342 to oust the premier through the no-trust move.

NA session proceedings

It is to be noted that the 5th sitting of the 41st session of the National Assembly started on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. with the recitation of verses from the Holy Qur’an. The session started under the chairmanship of Speaker Asad Qaiser.

Following the recitation of the Quran and the playing of the national anthem, the speaker allowed the  Leader of the Opposition Shahbaz Sharif to begin his speech.

A large number of opposition parties’ members were present in the House at the commencement of the session including Leader of Opposition Shehbaz Sharif.

Lawmakers from the treasury benches including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) legislators Tariq Bashir Cheema were also present in the House.

At the beginning of Shahbaz’s speech, several of the 151 PTI MNAs started interrupting his speech by chanting slogans.

The opposition leader Shahbaz told the speaker to conduct the session as per the order of the Supreme Court and added that today, the Opposition will oust the “selected” prime minister by adopting a lawful and constitutional procedure.

Continuing his address, Shahbaz said that April 7 was the “brightest day” in the history of Pakistan when the Supreme Court of Pakistan acknowledged the “unconstitutional act” of the NA speaker, deputy speaker and prime minister and declared it “null and void”.

At this, the speaker interjected a remark and said that the house should hold a discussion about the “foreign conspiracy” hatched against the PTI government. In response, the PML-N president stood up and reminded Qaiser that he is duty-bound to follow the orders of the Supreme Court.

However, as per the order of the Supreme Court voting is to be held at all costs today and in case the PM is voted out, the election of a new Leader of the House will be held during the same session. The voting on the no-confidence motion is at the fourth position in the six-point agenda issued for today.

Speaker Asad Qaiser could not take up agenda other than voting on the motion and if he did not do so, he would have to face contempt of court proceedings.

On the other hand, the ruling party has prepared its strategy to scuttle the proceedings and delay the voting by allowing MPs lengthy speeches on the “foreign conspiracy”.

As the same was endorsed by Federal Minister for Information Fawad Chauhdry.