Dy Speaker rejects no trust motion against PM via article 5; Terms it contradictory to article 5
Ijaz Kakakhel Islamabad
The country witnessed surprising political developments Sunday when President Arif Alvi dissolved the National Assembly on the advice of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The move came after Deputy Speaker National Assembly rejected the no-trust motion against the prime minister citing Article 5 of the Constitution, triggering a political crisis in the country.
The Opposition parties declared the move unconstitutional and announced to move the Supreme Court against the rejection of the motion.
When the much-awaited NA session started, Qasim Suri gave the mic to Law Minister Fawad Chauhdry who said that the Opposition’s move is backed by a foreign state and cannot be allowed to be voted.
“Our ambassador is told that our relationship with Pakistan depends on the success of this no-confidence motion. If the no-confidence motion is successful, you will be forgiven. But if the no-confidence motion is not successful, then you the next step will be very difficult.”
He maintained that the ambassador was told that their relations with Islamabad depend on the success of this no-trust motion. The minister said that our ambassador was told that you will be pardoned if the no-trust motion against PM Imran succeeds. But if the no-trust resolution fails, the country will have to face its consequences, Fawad Chauhdry told the house.
He termed that no-trust motion a conspiracy hatched by a foreign country to change the regime in Pakistan.
Agreeing with the minister, National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri rejected the no-trust motion against PM Imran Khan and declared it against Article 5 of the Constitution. He maintained that the government cannot be changed in Pakistan on the directives of foreign powers. The NA deputy speaker said that no foreign power will be allowed to topple down an elected government through a conspiracy in Pakistan and adjourned the session for an unidentified period. Reacting to the situation, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif said that Article 6 of the Constitution will be applied to Imran Khan and the National Assembly Speaker.
Earlier, the National Assembly session to vote on no-trust motion was prorogued after Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri ruled to reject no-trust motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan over having links with the foreign conspiracy.
The military distanced itself with the political developments in the country. “Army has nothing to do with the political process,” Major General Babar Iftikhar, the head of the military’s public relations wing, told foreign news agency in response to a question about the institution’s involvement in Sunday’s developments.
After the Deputy Speaker National Assembly Qasim Suri adjourned the proceedings of the House to deal with the no-confidence motion, the opposition held its National Assembly session and passed a no-confidence motion against the Prime Minister, with 197 members voting in favor of the motion.
Addressing the meeting, Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif said that the Speaker has clearly violated the constitution. The House should take action against the speaker under Article 6. Ninety-four members voted against Imran Khan.
On this occasion, Ayaz Sadiq announced that 197 votes have been cast in favor of the no-confidence motion. The meeting has been adjourned till 4 pm on April 6.
Meanwhile, former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry later on told journalists that Speaker’s ruling cannot be challenged. Talking to the media outside the Supreme Court building today he said the National Assembly speaker’s ruling came after completion of the constitutional process over the no-trust motion.
