ISLAMABAD: Adviser to Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan said that the intent of Article 63-A of the Constitution was not to allow anyone to cross the floor, who got the vote in the name of party leadership.
He said, “We will crush the no-confidence motion through the Constitution and the law.”
Dr Babar Awan said that the PTI government would complete its five-year tenure and would be re-elected with the support of people for another term of five years until 2028.
He expressed these views while speaking at 3-day overseas convention, organised by the party’s overseas chapter in Islamabad to recognise the services of expatriate Pakistanis for the country.
He thanked all overseas Pakistanis who stood by the PTI leadership in “exposing the corrupt elements hiding in foreign countries”. “You all are standing with a leader for the national interests who rejected the ‘do more’ demands and said ‘absolutely not’ on different issues,” he added.
prime minister’s adviser Dr Babar Awan appeared confident that the ruling party would not let its dissenting members cross the floor on the voting day under Article 63-A of the Constitution.
In a politically charged environment, the government is trying to put a brave face and believes that Prime Minister Khan would defeat the no-trust move against him, saying that the opposition had so far failed to present a name for the slot of the next prime minister in case the motion becomes successful.
The interior minister, speaking at an event organised by the Islamabad Women Chamber of Commerce and Industries in Islamabad on Sunday, also backtracked from the allegation he made against the PML-Q a day earlier accusing the party of “blackmailing” the government for Punjab’s chief minister position in return for support during the no-trust move.
The minister said his remarks were “general” and not directed at any particular party.
He said the National Assembly speaker would decide after March 15 about the date of session on the no-confidence resolution against the premier. Earlier, he had said the session would be convened after March 23.
Rashid says speaker to decide date of vote after Tuesday
The opposition submitted the resolution against Prime Minister Imran Khan on March 8 and also requisitioned a National Assembly session. After the lower house is in session, the rules of procedure dictate that the secretary will circulate a notice for a no-confidence resolution, which will be moved on the next working day.
From the day the resolution is moved, it “shall not be voted upon before the expiry of three days, or later than seven days”, according to the rules of procedure. Therefore, the speaker must call the lower house in session by March 22, while voting on the no-confidence motion must take place between three and seven days after the session is summoned.
The interior minister said it was up to the speaker to decide when to call the session. He said the speaker would decide after March 15 since there was an Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) conference on March 21 and 22.
Responding to a question, the interior minister elaborated that it was the speaker’s job and power to call a National Assembly session and his decision “can’t be challenged in any court”.
“Whatever decision the speaker takes will be a legal and constitutional one,” he added.
The minister said the opposition had the complete right to make a no-trust move but cautioned that the country should not be forced towards “anarchy”.
Earlier, the interior minister warned that the army could also be deployed in the federal capital under Article 245 of the Constitution if needed during the National Assembly on the no-trust motion.
In a press conference on Saturday, the minister said: “If needed, the army could be called under Article 245, but I hope there would be no need to deploy the army as the Rangers and FC [Frontier Corps] have already been summoned for seven days [from March 23 to March 30],” he added.
