New Delhi: With the chorus growing stronger for Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan to resign, the National Assembly will take up a no-trust motion on Friday against the PM, who on Sunday extended an olive branch to some 24 dissident lawmakers of his party.
The PM said he was ready to forgive them like a “compassionate father” if they returned to the party, according to the news agency PTI.
On March 8, almost 100 legislators from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) submitted the no-confidence motion before the National Assembly Secretariat. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) government led by Khan has been held responsible for the nation's worsening economic crisis and the increasing inflation.
In a notification issued on Sunday, the National Assembly Secretariat approved the key session which was urged by the Opposition to be convened by March 21 as per the legal requirements.
“The session will convene at 11 am on Friday and will be the 41st session of the current National Assembly,” according to the notification issued by Speaker Asad Qaiser.
The Opposition has been asking for the session to be summoned within 14 days but interior minister Sheikh Rashid said at a press conference it can be delayed due to extraordinary circumstances.
The session got delayed because of the 48th Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers on March 22 and 23 at the Parliament House.
The Opposition had also threatened sit-in if the session was not called on time. However, they toned down thier stance by stressing that Pakistan’s political turmoil will not be allowed to affect the high-profile event in any way.