Speaker refuses to allow voting on no- confidence motion

Islamabad, April 9 : Speaker of Pakistan’s National Assembly Asad Qaiser on Saturday evening refused to allow voting on no- confidence against the Imran Khan led government. The session of the National Assembly to decide his fate of PM Khan’s government started today at 10:30 am, and after three breaks the Assembly met again post Iftar. Sources in the Pakistani press reported Qaiser as saying that since he shares a 30-year relationship with Khan, he cannot allow the voting to take place. NA Secretariat sources say the session will likely continue till 12 am. Meanwhile PM Imran Khan has summoned a meeting of the federal cabinet at 9pm. Earlier in the day Pakistan People’s Party(PPP) chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had demanded a voting on the no-confidence motion and accused the Imran Khan led government of violating the Supreme Court’s orders and the Constitution. He charged that speakers have been ousted for setting aside the Supreme Court’s orders regarding a voting on the no-confidence motion. Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Khalid Jawed Khan too has come out in support of a voting on the no confidence motion. Khan said that the Supreme Court’s ruling directing the National Assembly speaker to hold the voting on-confidence motion against PM Imran Khan should be implemented in letter and spirit. MYK RKM