Asad Qaiser summons crucial NA session on no-trust resolution on March 25
ISLAMABAD, Mar 20 (SABAH): Speaker National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser has summoned the session of the lower house to deliberate on the opposition’s no-confidence resolution against Prime Minister Imran Khan on March 25 (Friday) at 11am. The National Assembly session has been summoned on the requisition of the joint opposition.
The session, which will be the 41st of the current National Assembly, was summoned after the joint opposition made the requisition for it under Article 54 of the Constitution along with the submission of the no-confidence motion against the prime minister on March 8.
In a statement issued by the National Assembly Secretariat on Sunday, the NA speaker summoned the session using powers granted to him under Article 54(3) and Article 254.
In his order, the speaker said that due to renovations at the Parliament House ahead of the OIC moot, no suitable place would be available to hold the session before March 24.
“After the receipt of requisition on March 8, the National Assembly Secretariat requested the Senate Secretariat to provide Chamber of the Senate for holding of National Assembly session. The Senate Secretariat informed that the Senate chamber is also not available being under renovation.”
Speaker NA Asad Qaiser further said the CDA chairman and Islamabad deputy commissioner were also approached for an alternate arrangement outside the Parliament House but that also remained an exercise in futility.
“Having no adequate option available whatsoever, for holding of the Session of the National Assembly before March 24….in the exercise of powers conferred upon me under Clause (3) of Article 54 of Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan read with Article 254…I hereby summon the session…on the first available date i.e. Friday…at the Parliament House, Islamabad,” the order issued by the speaker read.
According to Article 54, a session of the National Assembly can be requisitioned if at least 25% of the members sign it, following which the speaker has a maximum of 14 days to summon the session. Once the assembly was in session, the rules say, the secretary will circulate a notice for the no-confidence resolution, which will be moved on the next working day.
From the day the resolution is moved, the rules add, it “shall not be voted upon before the expiry of three days, or later than seven days”. Therefore, the experts say, 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.
PPP leader Senator Sherry Rehman condemned the delay and said the NA speaker could not arbitrarily delay the requisitioned session.
“If he violates Article 54, which read with Art 95 of the Constitution of Pakistan, enjoins on him the duty of calling such a session within the outer limit of 14 days, he will invoke Article 6 for violation,” she said.
Article 6 of the Constitution deals with high treason and says: “Any person who abrogates or subverts or suspends or hold in abeyance, or attempts or conspires to abrogate or subvert or suspend or hold in abeyance the Constitution by use of force or show force or by any other unconstitutional means shall be guilty of high treason.”