Bilawal, Shahbaz lash out at NA speaker for not allowing to table no-trust motion

ISLAMABAD: The leaders of the Opposition's two major parties — PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif — Friday lashed out at National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser for not allowing to table the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan in today's session.

"...the speaker's role will be remembered as [traitorous]. The speaker did not allow me to speak," Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz — flanked by Opposition parties' leaders — told journalists outside the Parliament House.

The opposition leaders were speaking after a crucial National Assembly session to deliberate on the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan was adjourned by the chair. 

The NA will meet on Monday, March 28 at 4:00pm.

The NA speaker, who chaired the session, wrapped it up almost immediately after it started with the recitation of the Holy Quran.

“Since this is the tradition of this house, that whenever a respectable member [of the assembly] passes away, the [NA] session is adjourned till the next [working] day in their honour,” Qaiser said.

Meanwhile, talking to the journalists, the PML-N president said the speaker had committed a violation of the Constitution and the parliament's tradition — just like any member of the ruling PTI.

"....the last date of convening a session to deliberate on the no-confidence motion was March 22 as the requisition was submitted on March 8," the Opposition leader said.

Shahbaz said as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation's session was scheduled from March 22-23, the speaker could have called the session before the OIC moot.

"Since he did not call the session during the stipulated time, and supported PM Imran Khan, he has violated the Constitution and should be tried under Article 6 (which deals with treason)," Shahbaz said.

Shahbaz mentioned that despite a tradition being there of adjourning the session following fateha for a deceased member, it should have been avoided today as the no-confidence motion is a "crucial" matter.

"Pakistan is standstill, the entire nation is looking towards us [...] the entire economy is in tatters. The speaker should have allowed voting on the no-confidence motion," he said.

Shahbaz added that the nation will always remember Qaiser as a person who violated the Constitution. "We warn the speaker if he makes a move against the Constitution on March 28, then we will use all legal and political tactics."

Qaiser has become the "stooge" of PM Imran Khan instead of remaining the speaker.

Next PM to be 'elected'

For his part, the PPP chairman said PM Imran Khan was trying to delay the session, but he could not do it for long. "The captain has left the ground — like always."

Bilawal said the government was trying to use all tactics at its disposal to avoid voting on the no-confidence motion. He vowed that the Opposition was united and it would not back down.

"...the prime minister has lost the house's majority. Our incumbent prime minister will soon become the ex-prime minister," the PPP chairman said.

In response to a question, the PPP chairman said the next prime minister would be "elected". At this, Shahbaz said that Bilawal does not believe in the "selection" of prime ministers.

Opposition not going anywhere: Mehmood

Meanwhile, JUI-F's Maulana Asad Mehmood said the speaker, despite being the custodian of the house, spoke like the prime minister's "servant".

"The constitution, laws, and regulations were violated in the parliament today [...] the speaker has given practical proof of partiality," Mehmood, who is the son of PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, said.

He regretted that after the incident at Sindh House — where scores of PTI workers stormed the lodges to throw out dissident PTI MPs "seeking refuge" at the Sindh House — the speaker did not contact anyone.

But we are not going anywhere and will show our strength inside and outside the parliament.