ISLAMABAD - Leader of Opposition in National Assembly and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Mian Shehbaz Sharif said Thursday said the national assembly proceedings should be run as per rules.
While talking to reporters he said that the joint opposition had decided not to involve in any unparliamentary norm but the NA Deputy Speaker adjourned the session on Thursday without initiating debate on the no-confidence motion against the prime minister.
Flanked by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) chief Akhtar Mengal and others, Shehbaz Sharif said that the chair should show impartiality and run the House according to the rules. “Some 172 members of the National Assembly, the number required to carry out the no-trust motion, were present in the House, he added. Shehbaz asked the government to present the letter regarding foreign involvement in the no-trust move in the Parliament.
Bilawal Bhutto said the opposition would not give any NRO (National Reconciliation Ordinance) to the government. The no-confidence motion would be successfully carried out and it would be the victory of democracy, he added.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi categorically denied that they had not received any message from anywhere for initiating the no-trust move against the government. The joint opposition would contemplate holding of early general elections in the country, he added.
Reacting to PM’s live address to nation, PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz Sharif said that PM Imran Khan was on the rampage. “Honestly this man is on a rampage! He has to be gagged or muzzled before he makes a joke out of the country,” she tweeted.
In a tweet on Thursday evening, Pakistan Democratic Movement chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that no ‘NRO’ will be given to Niazi. He also shared a video-clip of the parliament house to show the strength of the opposition parties in the National Assembly.
‘The letter is a fake’
Former President of Pakistan and President Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians Asif Ali Zardari responding to a question by a journalist at the Parliament House said that there is no need to see the so-called document as it is a fake. “Imran and his mandate are both fake,” her added. Aseefa Bhutto Zardari also accompanied President Zardari in the Parliament.
Later, Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari talking to the media along with other opposition leaders said that whenever we arrive in the National Assembly, Imran is defeated. “Today there were 172 opposition members in the National Assembly Hall but Imran ran away. How long can he run from the no-confidence? Now, Imran Khan is bowing before everyone and asking others to save him. There is no face-saving for him now. The only honourable way for him is to resign so that Shehbaz Sharif can take the seat of the prime minister. “It is too late for Imran to get an NRO. The delay is not only harming Imran but also the foreign policy, economy and institutions. Imran came to power undemocratically and is going by a democratic process. If he wants to a have little respect in the eyes of the people, he should immediately resign. However, he is begging everyone for support.
Also, Bilawal Bhutto Zardar talking to a private TV channel said that he did not watch the former prime minister’s speech. “I believe that he is repeating the same things. The Pakistani people have recognised his lies now. Every promise has been a U-turn or betrayal.”
PPP Chairman Bilawal said that this man has made the country a slave of the IMF and harmed the Kashmir policy. He has sabotaged the CPEC as per an international conspiracy. He did not spare our economy, foreign policy and democracy. The common man is bearing the burden of the destruction that has been going on in the name of change. When defeat that has come through a democratic mean is clear and there is no other way to escape it, such blames are not appropriate. He should take an honourable exit instead of trying to find a safe exit. He should have resigned in today’s speech. He should face us in the voting on Sunday and respect the democracy. He should not try to fool the people of Pakistan.
Chairman PPP said that the former PM made an unsuccessful effort to hold a big gathering in Islamabad. He does not need millions of people, only 172 members. 175 members of the opposition were present in the assembly today, he added. “We have proved that he has lost his majority. His government has ended.”
The National Assembly session yesterday was adjourned without conducting debate on the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan and would meet on coming Sunday to conduct voting on the motion.
The crucial national assembly remained in session for only ten minutes as the opposition was interested only to conduct voting on the no-trust motion ignoring rest of the agenda.
Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri made a final attempt to conduct normal proceedings of the house but the number-strong opposition compelled him to adjourn the session till Sunday.
Since the opposition with the support of the government’s coalition partners [MQM-P, BAP and JWP] has gained majority in the national assembly, the PTI’s government faced its first defeat in the house.
The government side, after losing the majority, failed to pass the resolution which was related to using the NA house for the Parliamentary Committee on National Security’s meeting.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) Babar Awan had moved the motion to adjourn the session so that the assembly hall could be used for the Parliamentary Committee on National Security meeting that was scheduled to be held at 6pm.
The house, after the defeat of the government, echoed with anti-government slogans. The members from treasury benches [PTI], in response the opposition also raised slogans in the house.
With the start of the proceedings, the government members raised slogans against its allied partners which visibly infuriated BAP MNA Khalid Magsi to react. PPP-P Chairman Bilwal Bhutto and PML-N’s Khwaja Asif, however, cooled him down.
The opposition members remained in the house even after the adjournment order by the chair. The opposition members were seen taking slefies and cracking jokes and even some remained engaged in talking with the media.
The former coalition partners of the government [MQM-P, BAP and JWP] preferred to sit on opposition benches. Over 170 members from opposition benches were present in the house. Whereas, around 60 members from PTI attended the proceedings.