Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday said that the incumbent government seems to ‘running away’ from the no-confidence vote and gave the example of slain party chairperson Benazir Bhutto whose no-trust motion was voted on within eight days in 1989, a private TV channel reported.
“This constitutional process cannot be delayed and attempting to delay or bulldoze the process will have its consequences”, the chief minister said while talking to the media after paying his respects at Quaid-e-Azam’s mausoleum on Pakistan Day.
Recalling the no-confidence motion against Benazir, Murad said it showed how much “respect” she had for the Constitution. He claimed that the resolution pending in the assembly was being ‘delayed’ under one pretext or another but expressed confidence that the motion would be successful. “Moving a no-confidence against the prime minister is the constitutional right of the opposition and they have exercised their right,” he said and advised National Assebly Speaker Asad Qaiser to let the house ‘vote freely’.
Murad maintained that the no-confidence motion would not derail the democratic system. He further stated that the Mutahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leadership had held a meeting with PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari to discuss the strengthening of local bodies. “We are also in favour of strengthening local bodies by giving them necessary powers,” he said, adding that the draft bill in this regard was being discussed in the committee of the provincial assembly. He stated that the people now have to strengthen Pakistan by respecting its Constitution as framed by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
