Will follow the law during vote on no-trust motion: Asad Qaiser

ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser on Monday said that he was consulting with the assembly secretariat to convene the session for voting on the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Talking to journalists, Asad Qaiser said that he would follow the law during the voting on the no-confidence motion. He welcomed the Opposition’s no-confidence motion and declared it the opposition's constitutional right.

"I will follow the law; I am still in consultation with the NA secretariat about summoning the session and it will be called in line with the constitution," he added.

Lawmakers can’t be stopped from voting

The speaker's statement came after he held a meeting with the NA's legal department to seek an opinion regarding the voting of disgruntled members of the party, Geo News reported, citing sources.

The sources said that speaker was informed that none of the members can be stopped from casting their votes, however, the party can take action against those who violate its policy.

They further added that citing Article 63(1)A of the Constitution of Pakistan, the legal department said the law is very clear in this regard.

Sources said that the speaker also asked whether he can give a ruling on the disgruntled members before they cast their votes, to which he was informed that ruling was his prerogative but the relevant laws are very much clear and there's no confusion.

In response to Asad Qaiser’s query that whether he can take action against the suspicious members if the party shared their names, the department said that the speaker’s role starts after a formal declaration from the party chairman.

It is pertinent to mention here that on March 9, the Opposition had submitted the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan in the National Assembly Secretariat.

A total of 86 lawmakers from the Opposition parties have signed the no-confidence motion, seeking the removal of PM Imran Khan.

Since then the government is mulling options on how to stop their party members from voting against the policy.