Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Asif has declared that all the opposition parties have unanimously decided to table a no-confidence motion against the Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri.
Addressing media flanked by other opposition leaders outside the Parliament House in Islamabad, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Asif said.
“The Supreme Court has given a stay order and we respect its decision. However, we will now exercise the remedy that has been provided to us.”
The decision comes in the backdrop of a marathon National Assembly session in which 11 bills were passed despite vehement protest by the opposition. The session had been presided over by the deputy speaker.
These include, The Medical Tribunal Bill, 2019, The Pakistan Medical Commission Bill, 2019, The Code of Civil Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2019 and The Naya Pakistan Housing and Development Authority Bill, 2019.
The ordinances passed in the shape of bills include seven recently promulgated by President Arif Alvi. The assembly also approved a 120-day extension to three presidential ordinances.
From the onset of the session, the opposition benches started protesting against the government for getting legislation done through ordinances. Opposition lawmakers gathered in front of the speaker’s dice and tore up copies of bills. They also chanted slogans against the government.
“Whatever happened today is an insult to the national assembly,” Asif said.” The government wrapped up proceedings in 20-25 minutes and postponed proceedings of the assembly,” he added.
Asif paid tribute to the JUI-F workers who are taking part in the Azadi March dharna.
“Chairman CDA was told to look after participants of the march,” he said. “Instead, CDA officials are eating food from Azadi March participants.”
Asif accused the government of creating hurdles for the Azadi March participants.
“The water supply in public mosques near the Azadi March has been cut,” he said. “Internet services have been disrupted in areas close to the march.”
Asif alleged that the government had instructed public hospitals not to treat participants of the Azadi March dharna.
The PML-N leader has asked the federal government to make the metro bus service functional in twin cities to facilitate citizens.
“After getting failed to run Metro Bus service in Peshawar, now they have closed down Metro Bus Service of Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad,” he lamented.
Meanwhile, Special Assistant to Prime Minister for Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan has said that it is necessary to devise new laws to change the system.
Speaking to media persons outside the Parliament House on Thursday, Awan said, “Parliament’s duty is to protect the rights of the people.”
She added that instead of criticizing the government, the opposition should play its role in lawmaking.
The special assistant said that all bills were passed after adopting legal procedures and majority of the parliamentarians voted in their favour. “When laws will be changed, people will see a change,” she remarked.
Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri’s election to the National Assembly was declared void by the Balochistan High Court’s election tribunal on September 27. The tribunal ordered a re-election in the NA-265 (Quetta II) constituency. Suri remains eligible to contest the election.
The NA-265 result had been challenged by Nawabzada Lashkari Raisani, who had filed a petition against alleged rigging in the constituency.
The Supreme Court, on October 7, had suspended the decision of the election tribunal that nullified Qasim Suri’s election as well as the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to de-notify him as a member of the National Assembly.
