Pakistan politics saw high drama and rapid surprising developments today as the national assembly was scheduled to vote on the no-confidence motion against the Imran Khan govt brought by the united opposition. In a surprising move, the no-confidence motion against the Imran Khan-led PTI government was rejected by the Deputy Speaker of the house. Minutes after that, Imran Khan announced that he has asked the president to dissolve the assembly and called for fresh elections.
While the National Assembly was readying for the no-confidence voting, Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri dismissed the motion. He read out a pre-written note and stated that the motion was inspired at the behest of an unnamed “foreign power” and therefore it is unconstitutional.
This discretion by the deputy speaker came after Minister of Information Fawad Chaudhry made a statement in the assembly stating that this is an effective operation for regime change by a foreign government. Soon after the statement by Fawad Chaudhary, Deputy Speaker dismissed the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan’s PTI government without voting attributing it to foreign conspiracy.
After the motion was overturned and ruled unlawful, the opposing parties began sloganeering in the assembly, sparking a ruckus.
Following that, Prime Minister Imran Khan delivered an address in which he praised the Deputy Speaker for the decision and said that he would seek that the assembly be dissolved so that new elections could be held. He further stated that this move was part of a foreign conspiracy to destabilise Pakistan and transfer power to corrupt individuals who would then operate on foreign commands.
Imran Khan said that he has recommended the president to dissolve the national assembly and call fresh elections. He said that the govt in Pakistan should be elected by people in a democratic process, not by foreign powers. He asked the people of Pakistan to get ready for elections. Imran Khan added that “the conspiracy to take down this government has collapsed.”
After the non-confidence motion was dismissed, the opposition parties announced that they will move the Supreme Court against the deputy speaker and the prime minister.
It is worth noting that Fawad Chaudhry recently announced that Punjab Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar had been fired by the federal government. It is also noteworthy that Imran Khan appointed Fawad Chaudhary as Law Minister just one day before the no-confidence resolution was to be voted on.
The security around the Pakistan National Assembly was also increased looking at the vote for the no-confidence motion. Section 144 was imposed in Islamabad.
The no-confidence motion
Shehbaz Sharif, the leader of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) and brother of former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, tabled a no-confidence motion against Imran Khan’s government in the National Assembly on March 8. The resolution of no confidence was passed against Imran Khan in the midst of surging inflation and dire economic conditions in Pakistan.