PML-N withdraws no-trust motion against Speaker, Deputy Speaker of PA

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Monday withdrew the no-confidence motions against the Punjab Assembly's (PA) Speaker Sibtain Khan and Deputy Speaker Wasiq Abbasi after failing to gather the required number of votes to oust both officials from their posts, Aaj News reported.

The magic number required to show the majority in the 371-strong house was 186.

The move comes days after the party withdrew a no-trust motion against Chief Minister Parvez Elahi.

As per reports, the decision to withdraw motions was made after the opposition parties failed to gain a majority in the provincial assembly, while the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) alliance has a clear edge.

Despite the efforts of former president Asif Ali Zardari and the PML-N, the PDM-led ruling alliance was unable to complete the required numbers.

Earlier, the opposition had submitted no-confidence motions against the chief minister, speaker and deputy speaker on December 19, mainly to forestall the dissolution of the provincial assembly.

The resolution was immediately followed by an order from the Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman, directing the chief minister to seek a vote of confidence from the assembly on December 21.

In his order, the governor said that the chief minister has “lost the confidence of his party president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and members of his own party belonging to the PML-Q”.