No-confidence vote against Pakistan PM disallowed, Imran seeks fresh elections

NEW DELHI: The Pakistan National Assembly's deputy speaker on Sunday disallowed the opposition's no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan's government, citing a foreign-backed conspiracy behind the vote.

The ruling came as parliament members gathered to vote on the motion that threatened to oust the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party government.

Chairing the session, deputy house speaker Qasim Khan Suri dismissed the motion as illegal, calling it against Article 5 of the Constitution that requires every citizen to be loyal to the state.

Suri agreed with Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry's objection to the vote on the grounds that it was a foreign plot against Pakistan.

Fawad said it was "an operation for regime change by a foreign government".

Suri chaired the lower house session after the opposition alliance earlier filed a no-confidence motion against Speaker Asad Qaiser.

The opposition, boosted by some defections from the treasury benches, needed a minimum 172 votes in the 342-member house to topple Imran, who came to power in 2018.

Imran in recent days repeatedly alleged that the opposition was working at the behest of external powers that wanted to stop Pakistan from pursuing an independent foreign policy.

On the eve of the no-trust vote, the prime minister talked to the media about delivering a "surprise".

In a televised address after the deputy speaker's ruling on the no-trust vote, Imran said he has recommended to President Arif Alvi to dissolve the assemblies for holding fresh elections.

The information minister said the Cabinet has been dissolved and the prime minister would continue to perform his duties under Article 224 of the Constitution.

The latest developments mark another round of confrontation between Imran and the opposition, which has vowed to challenge the deputy speaker's decision in the Supreme Court.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said opposition members would stage a sit-in at the parliament house.

-- BERNAMA