Pakistan minister Fawad Chaudhry indicates voting on 'no-trust motion' can shift to next week

Pakistan federal minister Fawad Chaudhry on Saturday said that voting on the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan's government could be shifted to next week.

As proceedings of the Pakistan National Assembly (NA) session began with the specific mandate to take up the no-confidence motion against the government and the election of the new leader of the House got underway today, Geo News reported that the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has prepared its strategy to scuttle the proceedings and delay the voting by directing MPs to give lengthy speeches on the 'foreign conspiracy"

Talking to Geo News, the minister for information and law said that the foreign secretary will brief the House on the "threat letter", so the voting on no-confidence may not happen and may be deferred till next week.

The publication stated that according to sources, despite the court's orders, the PTI-led government has planned not to conduct voting on a no-confidence motion today.

They added that PTI members of the National Assembly have been directed to hold "long debates during the NA session," so the voting can be "avoided due to a shortage of time."

In a historic judgment a day earlier, the Supreme Court of Pakistan had ordered National Assembly Speaker Asad Qasier to summon the session on Saturday (April 9) no later than 10:30 am to allow the vote on the no-confidence motion against the premier.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan had also restored the National Assembly after it declared the government's decision to dissolve the assembly and NA Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri's ruling null and void and against the Constitution.

On the other hand, the National Assembly secretariat urged members that the voting on the no-trust motion against PM Imran Khan must be conducted today, otherwise, the speaker can be charged with contempt of court.

In the NA's six-point agenda issued Friday, voting on the no-confidence motion is at the fourth position, reported Geo News.

Meanwhile, PTI's political committee, a day prior, had suggested that the party should hand down en masse resignations from the legislatures in the Centre, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, sources privy to the matter said.

The suggestion came during the meeting of PTI's political committee chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Sources said that the meeting discussed the current political situation in the country and held consultations on whether to make the alleged foreign plot in the "threat letter" public.

As per sources, committee members presented suggestions regarding the matter in light of the Secrets Act and judicial orders, reported Geo News.

The committee suggested making the "threat letter" public, saying that since there is pressure from the public, a decision should be made through thoughtful consideration.

(ANI)