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- Published: April 8, 2022 19:05
New Delhi: Pakistan’s National Assembly Secretariat on Friday issued an order for a session to be held over the no-trust vote against Prime Minister Imran Khan at 10.30 am on Saturday.
This comes at a time when the Pakistan Supreme Court on Thursday set aside the ruling of the Deputy Speaker which rejected the no-confidence motion against the Imran Khan government and gave directions for holding a sitting of the National Assembly “not later than 10:30 am on April 9 for the no-trust vote.
The court set aside all the subsequent steps taken after the rejection of the no-confidence vote and reinstated the National Assembly.
It also declared that the Prime Minister and federal ministers, ministers of state, advisers, etc, stand restored to their respective offices as of April 3.
“The Speaker is under a duty to summon and hold a sitting of the Assembly in the present Session, and shall do so immediately and in any case not later than 10:30 a.m. on Saturday 09.04.2022, to conduct the business of the House as per the Orders of the Day that had been issued for 03.04.2022 and in terms as stated in, and required by, Article 95 of the Constitution read with Rule 37 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly Rules, 2007 (“Rules”),” the Supreme Court verdict said.
The top court further ruled that the National Assembly session on the no-confidence motion must be held on Saturday and must not be adjourned until a vote on the motion.
The Supreme Court also said that if Imran Khan is removed as a result of the no-confidence motion, the new leader of the House should be elected in the same session.
The opposition appeared to have the numbers for the no-confidence motion with some allies of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) deciding to part ways. Several members of PTI had also turned rebels.