The govern0ent’s schemes to foil the no-confidence move inside and outside the National Assembly are being found to be unworkable. The opposition had plans in case any of its parliamentarians were arrested to reduce its numerical strength on the voting day. The JUI(F) workers blocked roads and highways within hours after four opposition parliamentarians and numerous JUI(F) bodyguards were taken into custody. The government had to eat humble pie and release them.
Again the government was forced to replace the police which is under its control with Frontier Constabulary and Rangers, whose officers are posted by the Army, to guard the security of Parliament House and the parliamentary lodges on the voting day. To ensure that the National Assembly Speaker does not favour the government the opposition decided to replace him through a no-confidence vote before the similar move against the PM. The PM and his team would however still make use of any possible administrative or legal loopholes to ensure that the no-confidence move does not succeed.
As had happened in Karachi a day earlier, the PM spent a whole day in Lahore on Thursday in wheeling and dealing without achieving tangible results.The Aleem Khan group maintained that they would respond only after consultation with their leader who is currently in London. Members of the Jahangir Tareen group simply refused to meet the PM. The PML(Q) demanded replacement of Usman Buzdar as CM by Ch Pervez Elahi, and that too before the voting on the no-confidence move. Recently the PM had assured Mr Buzdar that he would hold his office till the end of the federal government’s tenure. It remains to be seen if the PM takes the usual about-turn in this case also.
Fearing that the PM might lose if the PTI dissidents were allowed to vote, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry and Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid maintained that the Speaker has the authority to take action the moment any lawmaker crosses the floor. Legal experts maintain that only the ECP is authorised to disqualify a member of the National Assembly after the Speaker sends a reference and after the MNA’s explanation is turned down as unsatisfactory. There is a need on the part of the government to abide by the laws and Constitution. Unless this is done the aggrieved party could go into litigation, thus prolonging the current crisis which would create a sense of uncertainty and harm the economy.
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