Pakistan National Assembly to discuss no-confidence motion against PM Imran Khan today

Khan`s ouster is likely to bring another round of instability in the nuclear armed country, in which the military has a long record of intervening in politics.

Islamabad: The Pakistan National Assembly will discuss the no-confidence motion against Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan during the Lower House Session at 4 pm.

The NA Secretariat issued the order on Wednesday night, with a discussion on the no-trust motion against the Pakistani PM on today`s (Thursday) session`s agenda, Geo TV reported.

Earlier, on Monday, Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) President Shahbaz Sharif tabled the no-confidence motion against the Pakistani PM. With this move, Imran became the third Pakistani PM to face the no-confidence motion.

Following the tabling of the resolution, the deputy speaker announced that the debate on the resolution would begin on March 31. "The session is adjourned until 4 pm on March 31," he said.

This is a key development as the political fate of Imran Khan hangs in the balance amid the changing power equations. Deputy NA Speaker Qasim Suri, during the session, asked the members of the Parliament who are in favour of the motion, to stand up so that the total number of supporting members of the motion could be counted.

After counting the members who stood in favour of the motion, the Deputy NA speaker approved the discussion on the no-confidence motion and also scheduled it for March 31, at 4 pm. However, the voting on the resolution will take place between April 1 - 4.

The no-confidence motion was submitted on March 8 after the PPP`s long march in Islamabad. The Opposition is confident that its motion would be successful as many PTI lawmakers have come out in the open against PM Imran Khan.

Earlier today, the second phase of polling of local government in the remaining 18 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) is underway.

In the first phase of the election, the ruling party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) suffered a major setback as the opposition parties won the clear majority, especially Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F).

Meanwhile, Muttahida Qaumi Movement - Pakistan (MQM-P) joined hands with the opposition to support them in the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan, the Pakistani government lost its majority in the lower house of the Pakistan parliament, Geo TV reported.

The Pakistani National Assembly has a total strength of 342 members, with the majority mark being 172. The PTI-led coalition was formed with the support of 179 members, but now, after MQM-P left the party, PTI is standing with 164 members in support and the Opposition has now 177 members of supporters in the national assembly and they don`t need the support of disgruntled PTI MNAs.