It was Monday, March 28, and Shahbaz Sharif, the opposition leader in Pakistan, put forward a no-confidence motion against the country's PM, Imran Khan. The no-confidence motion comes after opposition leaders say the prime minister hasn't been good at running Pakistan's economy.
A rebellion within Pakistan’s ruling party also came when around two dozen legislators from the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf came out against PM Imran Khan.
On March 8, the opposition unions submitted a no-confidence motion to the NA secretariat.
The opposition had submitted two sets of documents, one under article 54 of the legislation and the other under requisition. The other was a resolution calling for a no-confidence vote against the prime minister.
Article 95 of the Constitution, on the other hand, says that a no-confidence motion against the Prime Minister must have the signatures of at least 20% of the members of the assembly.
The rules say that the secretary will send out a statement for a no-confidence vote that will be brought up the next working day.
According to rules, from the day the resolution is carried out, it should not be voted upon before the expiry of three days or later than seven days.
So, the speaker should have called the meeting on March 22. Instead, the speaker of the national assembly called the meeting on March 25, three days after the deadline.
The deputy speaker delayed the March 25th session until March 28th. However, the much-anticipated session, which had a no-confidence motion, began after a two-day recess period on Monday. The deputy speaker of the national assembly, Qasim Khan Suri, presided over the session.
The opposition leader, Shahbaz Sharif, requested the deputy speaker of the national assembly to permit him to present the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan, as the resolution was already on the agenda.
Subsequently, the vote was held to confirm if the assembly should table the resolution.
According to NA rules, the votes of at least 20% of MNAs, or 68 MNAs, are required to get a no-confidence motion accepted for voting against the prime minister.
After counting votes in the national assembly, the deputy speaker announced that 161 lawmakers had voted in favor of tabling the no-confidence motion. The deputy speaker gave permission to present a resolution.
After the tabling of the resolution, the deputy speaker declared that the debate on the motion would begin on March 31st.
The support of 172 members of the National Assembly out of 342 members is necessary for the success of the no-confidence motion.
The opposition party claims that they have the needed numbers. The joint opposition party must gain these numbers for a no-confidence motion against Imran Khan.
On Monday, March 28, the opposition party filed a no-confidence motion in the Punjab assembly against the CM of the state, Usman Buzdar, and the motion was passed.
A group of senior lawmakers from the opposition party has written a letter to the CM of Punjab. After the no-confidence motion, the CM of Punjab, Usman Buzdar, tendered his resignation. The no-confidence motion states that most of the house has no trust in the Punjab CM.
Since taking office, Usman Buzdar has been the target of opposition leaders’ criticism. In the Punjab assembly, 126 lawmakers from the opposition parties signed a no-trust motion against Usman Buzdar.
Image by mohamed Hassan from Pixabay
A rebellion within Pakistan’s ruling party also came when around two dozen legislators from the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf came out against PM Imran Khan.
On March 8, the opposition unions submitted a no-confidence motion to the NA secretariat.
The opposition had submitted two sets of documents, one under article 54 of the legislation and the other under requisition. The other was a resolution calling for a no-confidence vote against the prime minister.
Process of No-Confidence Motion
Article 54 of the constitution states that national assembly members can requisition a session if at least 25% of the members sign it. After that, the speaker has a maximum of 14 days to summon an assembly session.Article 95 of the Constitution, on the other hand, says that a no-confidence motion against the Prime Minister must have the signatures of at least 20% of the members of the assembly.
The rules say that the secretary will send out a statement for a no-confidence vote that will be brought up the next working day.
According to rules, from the day the resolution is carried out, it should not be voted upon before the expiry of three days or later than seven days.
So, the speaker should have called the meeting on March 22. Instead, the speaker of the national assembly called the meeting on March 25, three days after the deadline.
The deputy speaker delayed the March 25th session until March 28th. However, the much-anticipated session, which had a no-confidence motion, began after a two-day recess period on Monday. The deputy speaker of the national assembly, Qasim Khan Suri, presided over the session.
The opposition leader, Shahbaz Sharif, requested the deputy speaker of the national assembly to permit him to present the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan, as the resolution was already on the agenda.
Subsequently, the vote was held to confirm if the assembly should table the resolution.
According to NA rules, the votes of at least 20% of MNAs, or 68 MNAs, are required to get a no-confidence motion accepted for voting against the prime minister.
After counting votes in the national assembly, the deputy speaker announced that 161 lawmakers had voted in favor of tabling the no-confidence motion. The deputy speaker gave permission to present a resolution.
After the tabling of the resolution, the deputy speaker declared that the debate on the motion would begin on March 31st.
The Equation of Numbers
For a no-confidence motion to be successful, the support of a simple majority of members in the national assembly is necessary.The support of 172 members of the National Assembly out of 342 members is necessary for the success of the no-confidence motion.
The opposition party claims that they have the needed numbers. The joint opposition party must gain these numbers for a no-confidence motion against Imran Khan.
On Monday, March 28, the opposition party filed a no-confidence motion in the Punjab assembly against the CM of the state, Usman Buzdar, and the motion was passed.
A group of senior lawmakers from the opposition party has written a letter to the CM of Punjab. After the no-confidence motion, the CM of Punjab, Usman Buzdar, tendered his resignation. The no-confidence motion states that most of the house has no trust in the Punjab CM.
Since taking office, Usman Buzdar has been the target of opposition leaders’ criticism. In the Punjab assembly, 126 lawmakers from the opposition parties signed a no-trust motion against Usman Buzdar.