PTI dissidents will not vote on no-trust motion unless needed, decides Opposition

• Sources say the decision has been taken to prevent the voting process from becoming controversial.
• They said Opposition would complete the required number (172) through the votes of the coalition parties.
• Voting on no-confidence motion against PM Khan will be held tomorrow at 11:30am.

ISLAMABAD: The joint Opposition has formulated a strategy for voting on the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan scheduled to be held tomorrow (April 3) barring the dissident PTI lawmakers from casting their vote as they already have 175 votes, The News reported Saturday.

Sources privy to the Opposition said the decision has been taken to prevent the voting process from becoming controversial and to avoid any possible decision of the Supreme Court in this regard. The federal government has filed a presidential reference in the apex court seeking the interpretation of Article 63-A which deals with the disqualification of lawmakers.

Read more: What will happen if no-confidence motion succeeds against PM Imran Khan?

According to the strategy devised by the Opposition, the PTI’s dissident members will be brought to the Parliament House but will not participate in the voting process and their votes will only be cast, when the Opposition falls short of the required number of votes to oust the incumbent prime minister.

The sources said that the Opposition would complete the required number through the votes of the coalition parties.

Read more: PTI finalises references against dissident MPs on PM Imran Khan's directives

At present, the Opposition, without the votes of dissident PTI lawmakers, has 177 votes, while there is a need for 172 votes for the success of the no-confidence motion.

The new numbers game:

Opposition

• PML-N — 84
• PPP — 56
• MMA —14
• BAP — 4
• BNP-M — 4
• Independent — 4
• ANP — 1
• JWP — 1
• JI — 1
• MQM-P — 7
• PML-Q — 1

Total: 177

Government

• PTI — 155
• PML-Q — 4
• GDA — 3
• AML — 1
• BAP — 1

Total: 164

It is worth mentioning that out of 155 PTI members 22 dissident members are likely to support the Opposition.

The crucial National Assembly session for the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan will be held tomorrow (Sunday) at 11:30am.

No-trust motion against PM

Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif had tabled the no-confidence motion against PM Imran Khan on March 28— making him the third premier in Pakistan's history to face the move.

The Opposition had earlier submitted the requisition along with notice of the no-confidence resolution, in the National Assembly Secretariat on March 8. The notice of no-confidence resolution against PM Imran Khan was signed by 152 opposition members.