Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid has said that National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser has the power to disqualify Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers who side with the opposition during the vote of no confidence.
The minister’s procedural analysis follows the incumbent government’s strategy to secure party allies and thwart the opposition’ no-confidence motion submitted to the National Assembly (NA) Secretariat on Tuesday.
“Let [the opposition] fulfil their desire. Imran Khan is on his way towards winning. The speaker has the right to disqualify any PTI member who disrespects the votes they gained due to Imran Khan,” the interior minister said.
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan has said that on the day of the vote, MNAs of the PTI will not be present in the NA to avoid voting on the no-trust resolution.
The government’s allies have rubbished the opposition’s claims that they have secured enough votes to succeed, despite several former members of the PTI liaising with the other side.
Disgruntled PTI MPA Aleem Khan reportedly left for London on Thursday to meet with fellow estranged PTI leader Jahangir Tareen and Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif.
Jahangir Tareen has met with multiple members of the oppositions, including a ‘secret meeting‘ with PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif, despite efforts from Prime Minister Imran Khan to woo him back to the party.
