PTI submits no-confidence motion against Dy Speaker, PML-N against Speaker
Amraiz Khan Lahore
In a dramatic move, Speaker Punjab Assembly Pervaiz Elahi on Wednesday revoked the powers of Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari who was supposed to chair the session on the same day at 7:00 pm.
A notification has been issued regarding the withdrawal of powers of Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari, according to which the powers of Deputy Speaker have been withdrawn under Article 235 of the Punjab Assembly.
It is stated in the notification that these powers are being withdrawn on the instructions of the Speaker.
A copy of the notification has been sent to all the concerned agencies. In another surprising turn the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf on Wednesday submitted a no-confidence motion against its own deputy speaker of the provincial assembly.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-N on Wednesday submitted a no-confidence motion against Punjab Assembly Speaker and PTI candidate for chief minister slot Pervaiz Elahi.
PML-N delegation comprising Khawaja Salman Rafique, Samiullah Khan, Khalik Zahir Sindhu, and Maulana Pir Ashraf Rasool visited Punjab Assembly Secretariat and filed the no-trust motion with the assembly secretary.
On Wednesday there was an emergency-like situation in and around the Assembly as nobody was being allowed to enter or exit its premises. All four gates of the Punjab Assembly were closed down for its MPAs and even the media men who were supposed to cover the Assembly proceedings.
More barbed wires were placed on the top of boundary walls of the assembly to keep the stakeholders away from the assembly.
The PTI’s motion against Deputy Speaker Sardar Dost Muhammad Mazari was submitted in the office of the Assembly Secretary after which the deputy speaker cannot summon the assembly session.
A big rift appeared in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf after the party brought a no-confidence motion against its own Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari.
However, Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Dost Mazari asserted that he still could chair the session of the assembly despite a no-confidence motion against him.
Earlier, there was confusion about the convening of the Punjab Assembly session as the assembly secretariat was unaware of the deputy speaker’s orders of convening the assembly session on Wednesday.
Steps were taken at the Punjab Assembly building to deal with any emergency situation.