PM Imran asks Speaker National Assembly to summon NA session on March 21

Prime Minister Imran Khan has asked Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser to convene the Parliament’s lower house session on March 21, Aaj News reported on Thursday.

The decision was made during the PTI core committee’s meeting in Islamabad.

During the meeting, PM Imran reportedly said that he would take action against dissident lawmakers of the party as per the constitutional provisions. The premier also decided to approach the Election Commission against dissident members.

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“I will not bow down against the corrupt politicians and blackmailers, will fight till the last ball,” the premier said, asking party members to speed up preparations for the D-Chowk gathering on March 27.

The joint opposition had submitted a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan in the National Assembly Secretariat on March 8.

A total of 86 lawmakers from the opposition parties have signed the motion.

On the same day, the Opposition had also submitted a request for requisition of a National Assembly session under Article 54 (3).

Under the Constitution, the speaker had to summon a session of the Assembly within 14 days of the requisition.

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For the motion to succeed, the joint opposition requires the support of 172 MNAs. After the filing of the motion, the NA speaker has between three to seven days to summon a session of the NA to conduct voting.

If the speaker allows the motion to be tabled on March 21, then as per the rules, the debate needs to be held after three days and before seven days, meaning that the debate could take place by March 25.

The voting on the no-trust motion will be held after three days of debate, which means that the voting would take place on March 28.

The emergency meeting was called after reports emerged that more than a dozen PTI MNAs were under "safe custody" of the opposition at the Sindh House, Islamabad.

Noor Alam Khan, one of the estranged PTI MNA Assembly (MNAs), who is staying at the Sindh House, Islamabad, said earlier today that he was concerned about his security and asked the Sindh government for protection.

Speaking exclusively with Aaj News at the Sindh House premises, Noor said that he had moved from Parliament Lodges after the police action against the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) lawmakers last week.

He said that he was “very disappointed” to know about the allegations of bribery against the ruling party's lawmakers, adding that he would vote on the no-confidence motion “according to his conscience.”

He claimed that many other PTI MNAs will vote against Prime Minister Imran Khan’s policies on the day of the no-confidence motion.

PPP, PDM to protect MNAs being threatened with violence: Bilawal

As tensions rise, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that his party and the Pakistan Democratic Party (PDM) will protect MNAs who are being threatened with violence and arrest if they take part in the no-confidence process against the prime minister.

In a tweet, the PPP leader said that the lives, liberty, and families of MNAs were under threat.

"MNAs will take any and all means for their own protection against this fascist regime," he said.

"PPP and PDM will do all we can to protect them. We will not show all our cards now. More to come in the coming days. Out of respect of OIC conference, we don’t want anarchy in Islamabad. Government must not provoke us."