Pak Opposition submits no-confidence motion against NA Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri

Islamabad, (PTI) Pakistan’s Opposition parties on Friday submitted a no-confidence motion against the National Assembly Deputy Speaker, accusing him of acting in a “blatantly partisan manner” in favour of the government and failing to conduct proceedings in an orderly manner to enable a productive debate on issues of public importance.

The move comes a day after the Supreme Court struck down deputy speaker Qasim Suri’s controversial move to dismiss a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Khan, citing a national security threat, in a major blow to the cricketer-turned-politician who is now likely to face a no-trust vote on Saturday in Parliament.

In a landmark 5-0 verdict, a five-member bench headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial ruled that the deputy speaker’s ruling was “contrary to the Constitution and the law and of no legal effect, and the same are hereby set aside”.

Opposition leader Murtaza Javed Abbasi submitted the motion to the Secretary National Assembly, Geo News reported.

“The resolution for removal from office of Muhammad Qasim Khan Suri, Deputy Speaker, under paragraph (c) of clause (7) of Article 53 of the Constitution, read with Rule 12 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007,” the resolution read.

The Opposition in the resolution stated that the deputy speaker has “repeatedly” violated the rules, parliamentary practices, democratic norms and traditions and even Constitutional provisions, and when presiding over the House, has “failed to conduct proceedings in an orderly manner to enable productive debate on issues of public importance,” it said.

“Instead of performing his role fairly and impartially, the deputy speaker has acted in a blatantly partisan manner invariably favouring the government, especially in passing legislation, and has frequently deprived Opposition members of their inherent, democratic right to speak and voice their views and the views of their electorate,” the document read.

“The deputy speaker has willfully and malafidely subverted the Constitution and his action falls within the purview of Article 6 of the Constitution,” it said.

The Opposition had also submitted a no-confidence motion against National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser last week.

The Opposition parties need 172 members in the 342-member house to orchestrate the downfall of Prime Minister Khan and already they showed the support of more than the needed strength.

Khan faces the possibility of becoming the first prime minister in Pakistan’s history to be voted out in a no-confidence motion.

Khan came to power in 2018 with promises to create a ‘Naya Pakistan’ but miserably failed to address the basic problem of keeping the prices of commodities in control. The current term of the National Assembly was to end in August 2023.

No Pakistani prime minister has ever completed a full five-year term in office.

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