MNAs can’t be barred from voting: NA Secretariat
ISLAMABAD: Federal government has decided to summon National Assembly session for voting on no-trust motion after Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) moot in Islamabad on March 23. According to details, the meeting of OIC foreign ministers is scheduled for March 22 and 23 in Islamabad. The voting on no-trust move is likely scheduled for March 29. The decision has emerged after Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan chaired a key session of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) core committee at PM House.
Amid the opposition’s no-confidence motion against PM Imran Khan, National Assembly (NA) Secretariat had told Speaker Asad Qaiser that members of the assembly cannot be stopped from voting. According to sources, the speaker has consulted with the secretariat and sought answers to three questions.
The speaker asked if he could bar dissident lawmakers from voting to which the secretariat replied that no member could be barred from voting and any action will be initiated after the dissident act is performed. “The article 63 (1) (a) of the Constitution is clear in this regard,” they said.
To other questions that what could happen if the party head or chief whip send names of suspicious lawmakers and if any ruling could be given on dissent lawmakers ahead of the vote,
Sources further said that the secretariat said the speaker’s role would begin after declaration from the party chief. Ruling is the speaker’s prerogative, however, the constitution and laws are clear on the matter