Speaker Asad Qaiser summons NA session on no-trust motion on March 25

National Assembly (NA) Speaker Asad Qaiser has convened the session of the lower house on the opposition’s no-trust motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan on March 25, reported Aaj News on Sunday.

The session will convene at 11am on Friday and will be the 41st session of the current National Assembly.

Under Article 54 of the Constitution, the speaker is required to summon a session of the National Assembly within 14 days after receiving a requisition from the opposition.

Since the opposition submitted it on March 8, the session was required to be summoned by March 21.

Opposition submits no-confidence motion against PM Imran

However, the government has argued that the session can be delayed if circumstances permit.

Commenting on the issue, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid said earlier on Sunday that Speaker NA has the right to delay the vote on the no-confidence motion against PM Imran if circumstances allow it, adding that there are "many rulings" in this regard.

Rashid further said that if the motion is tabled on March 25 then the voting is likely to take place on March 31 or April 1.

There are fears of confrontation as opposition leaders on Saturday threatened to block the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) conference if the no-trust vote against Prime Minister Imran Khan was not tabled on March 21 in the National Assembly.

Opposition threatens to block OIC moot if no-confidence motion not tabled on Monday

"We want Monday's session to start with no-confidence motion but if it is not summoned by Monday, then we will stage a sit-in the house ... we will then see how you are able to organise the OIC conference," Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said while addressing a press conference alongside Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif.

The PPP chairman said that PM Imran has lost the house's majority, adding that "this is a victory for Pakistan."

Shehbaz, who also spoke on the occasion, also warned the Islamabad administration against creating obstructions for the opposition. He said that the opposition will not allow anyone to violate the Constitution of Pakistan.

He said that those coming to attend the OIC summit are the guest of the entire nation. "But we will not allow you to go against the law and Constitution under the garb of this [OIC conference]. We will stage a sit-in then."