ISLAMABAD - Since the opposition is confident to vote out prime minister in a no-confidence motion with over 172 votes, the consultation has also started to nominate its leader of house for the future political scenario. The opposition parties, if successfully manage to defeat the government in the National Assembly, have to nominate their own leader of the house [Prime Minister] in the house. The President, according to the rules and procedures, will call a session for the election of the leader of the house in the National Assembly soon after the possible defeat of PTI’s government in the centre.
According to Article-95 of the Constitution [Vote of no-confidence against Prime Minister], “If the resolution referred to in clause (1) is passed by a majority of the total membership of the National Assembly, the Prime Minister shall cease to hold office,”. It further says a fresh National Assembly session would immediately be called to elect a new leader of the house in the lower house of Parliament.
Background discussions with the opposition lawmakers revealed that the PML-N wants to evolve consensus over the name of a leader of the opposition Shehbaz Sharif to contest the election for Prime Minister. A proposal is also under consideration to give a chance to senior MNA from a smaller province [Balochistan] Sardar Akhtar Mengal for the main slot. The opposition parties have decided to bring a unanimous candidate after the no-trust motion, which is scheduled to be held on Sunday [tomorrow].
PML-N’s senior lawmaker Riaz Hussain Pirzada, sharing his views with this newspaper, confidently remarked that the number-strong opposition would show more than 200 MNAs on the day of voting. “Opposition members with support of allies and dissident members from PTI would vote in the no-trust motion,” he said, mentioning that final touches would be given to the proposal to elect a leader of the house from Pakistan Muslim League [PML-N].
Sources said that the opposition members were unanimous over the name of Mian Shehbaz Sharif for leader of the house but it had yet to be shared with former coalition partners of government including Muttahida Qaumi Movement [MQM-P], Balochistan Awami Party [BAP] and Jamhoori Watan Party [JWP]. The opposition parties, working under the umbrella of PDM, are morally bound to take these new coalition partners into confidence about a future strategy.
The opposition, in the last week, had been able to take three government allies [MQM-P, Balochistan Awami Party, and Jamhoori Watan Party] into its fold around a week before the voting on a no-trust motion. The opposition the other day [Thursday] with majority of votes defeated the government in the National Assembly, when it confidently challenged the government over voting on a motion related to giving the National Assembly hall for a national security committee meeting. Over 190 members from the opposition were present in the house, which clearly shows that it has enough members to constitutionally form a new government in the center.
Interestingly, The PTI’s lawmakers still claim to defeat the joint opposition in the no-confidence motion. They believe that the opposition members would not be able to show required numbers as many of the members would abstain at the time of voting.
The joint opposition parties, according to the rules, have to show 172 votes against the Prime Minister at the time of voting in its no-trust motion. According to the numerical strength in the national assembly, the opposition actually has 162 votes including 84 PML-N, 56 PPP, 15 MMA, 4 BNP (Mengal), 2 Independents, and one ANP. The recent support of government allies has changed the scenario, as the votes of MQM-P, JWP and BAP are most likely to stand against Prime Minister Imran Khan.
