New Delhi: In a surprising move, Deputy Speaker Qasim Sur on Sunday dismissed the no-trust motion against PM Imran Khan in Pakistan National Assembly.
As the crucial session in Pakistan National Assembly began, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry termed the motion as "an effective operation for regime change by a foreign government."
"It is not an issue of no-confidence but Article 5," he asserted, urging the chair to give a ruling on the legality of the no-confidence move.
Following this, Pakistan National Assembly Deputy Speaker rejected the motion, declaring it unconstitutional. Suri chaired the session after Opposition parties filed a no-confidence motion against Speaker Asad Qaiser.
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan Calls For Fresh Elections
Notably, Imran Khan was absent from the Assembly even though he was expected to lead the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers there.
Shortly after the dismissal, the Pakistan Prime Minister addressed the nation and said that the foreign conspiracy for regime change has been fouled.
"I have written to the President to dissolve the assemblies. Prepare for elections. No corrupt forces will decide what the future of the country will be. When the assemblies will be dissolved, the procedure for the next elections and the caretaker government will begin," Imran Khan said, as quoted by PTI.
He congratulated the nation in his brief address saying the deputy speaker had "rejected the attempt of changing the regime [and] the foreign conspiracy."
Security personnel were deployed near Pakistan's National Assembly ahead of the no-confidence vote today and Section 144 was imposed in Islamabad.
The day ahead of the no-confidence motion, Khan called for peaceful protest by his supporters against what he called an “international conspiracy by the US to oust him”.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry claimed that nearly 140 PTI lawmakers were present at the dinner hosted by Khan on Saturday night, Dawn reported.
As per Dawn's report, he said that the government had decided to hold a fully-fledged debate in the National Assembly, adding that both the Opposition and treasury members would be provided an opportunity to speak their minds.
On Saturday, Khan also claimed that there is a threat to his life and the no-confidence motion is an attempt to oust him by foreign powers, especially the US.
While asserting that he would not bow down in front of the opposition, he said, “When I played cricket for 20 years, the world and those who played cricket with me saw that I play till the last ball. I've never accepted defeat in life. Nobody should think that I will sit at home. I'll come back stronger, whatever may the result be.”
He added, “Neither I'm going to bow in front of anyone nor will I let my community do that. Why should we have to crawl like ants? Won't let our people bend before anyone.”
Khan's party PTI had 155 seats in the lower house, 17 short of the 172 needed to retain power in the 342-member Pakistan National Assembly.
The joint opposition comprising PML-N and the PPP had claimed the support of 177 members, more than the needed strength to oust the prime minister.
Notably, no Pakistani prime minister has ever completed a full five-year term in office.
(With Agency Inputs)