Sibtain Khan says voting on no-confidence motion to take place in January

LAHORE: Punjab Assembly (PA) Speaker Sibtain Khan has asserted that the voting on no-confidence motion submitted against Chief Minister (CM) Pervaiz Elahi would be held in first week of January, ARY News reported.

Speaking on ARY News programme ‘Off the Record’, the Punjab Assembly Speaker noted that voting on no-confidence motion may be held on 3rd or 4th January, adding that the assembly can be dissolved amid the directives of seeking vote of confidence.

In response to a question, Sibtain Khan said Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) knows Governor cannot de-notify the Chief Minister in accordance to the Constitution. “If we had not found out this weakness, the Governor would have de-notified the CM,” he added.

Sibtain Khan claimed Governor Baligh ur Rehman – in his letter – admitted that the Speaker can prorogue the current session summoned by him. “Punjab Governor first asked CM Pervaiz Elahi to seek vote of no confidence,” he said, noting that he did not de-notify the CM because there was no legal status.

“A procedure has also been decided for Chief Minister to take the vote of confidence”, he said, adding that as per law, time is provided for a vote of confidence in which the Chief Minister does his homework.

Earlier in the day, it was reported that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stopped Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman from denotifying Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi.

The development comes after the legal team of PML-N advised the party to refrain from denotifying CM Elahi as the matter can be challenged in court.

The legal team presented a suggestion during a meeting held at the Governor House. The meeting was attended by the senior leadership of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

On the legal team’s recommendation, the prime minister has stopped Punjab governor from denotifying CM Elahi for now and ordered more consultation on the matter.

Earlier, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) submitted no-trust motion against Punjab chief minister, speaker and deputy speaker to the provincial assembly’s secretariat.

While talking to ARY News, PML-N leader Khawaja Imran Nazir confirmed the development. He claimed that the opposition parties will give a good surprise to the people of Punjab.

He confirmed that the particulars related to the no-trust motion were received by the PA secretary. Nazir said that the no-confidence motion was submitted in accordance with the law after completing the required numbers.