ISLAMABAD:Law Minister Chaudhry Fawad on Sunday said the Federal Cabinet had been dissolved. Prime Minister Imran Khan, however, would continue his duties under Article 224 of the Constitution, he said in a tweet.

On the advise of the Prime Minister Imran Khan, President Dr Arif Alvi today dissolved the National Assembly. Earlier, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Qasim Suri rejected the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan and declared it against Article 5 of the Constitution. Subsequently, the Prime Minister in a short address to the nation advised the President to dissolve assemblies.

Soon after the start of the assembly session, the Deputy Speaker allowed Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry to speak. Fawad Chaudhry told the session that loyalty to the state was the basic duty of every citizen under Article 5 of the Constitution. He said that on March 7, our official ambassador was invited to a meeting attended by the representatives of other countries. The meeting was informed that a motion against PM Imran was being presented.

He said that we were told that relations with Pakistan were dependent on the success of the no-confidence motion and If this motion fails, then the upcoming path for Pakistan would be very difficult. This is an operation for a regime change by a foreign government, he added.

Subsequently, Deputy Speaker rejected the no-confidence motion and declared it against Article 5 of the Constitution. He adjourned the session. Later, Prime Minister Imran Khan in his address to the nation after rejection of no-confidence motion called the no-trust motion against him as a ‘foreign agenda’ and congratulated the nation on the rejection of the motion in the assembly.

He said that he had advised the President to dissolve the assemblies. He said that there should be elections in a democratic way and he call upon the people of Pakistan to prepare for elections.

Earlier, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb on Sunday shared a list of 174 Members of National Assembly who have assured support for no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan.

In her message on social media forum Tweeter, Aurangzeb stated that 84 lawmakers of PML-N, 56 PPP, 15 MMA, 4 BNP-M, one ANP, 6 MQM, 4 BAP, 1 JWP and 4 independents will support the no-confidence motion.

In the meantime, Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari talking to the media said today that we had numbers to pass the no-confidence motion and the Speaker has made an unconstitutional move.

“Pakistan’s Constitution has been violated. The punishment for doing so is clear. The united opposition has decided to protest in the National Assembly until our constitutional right is attained,” he said.

Our lawyers will approach the Supreme Court now for the voting on the no-confidence to be held today, he added. Bilawal said that PM could not dissolve the Assembly now. He must face the no-confidence. He said: “If the Speaker thinks that he can prorogue the House, we have snatched this option be submitting a no-confidence against him as well.”

The only democratic and constitutional way is for the Supreme Court to rule for the no-confidence voting to take place today, he said. He said: “This is a childish act and Imran Khan has exposed himself further. I would like to appeal to the Pakistani nation to support the constitution and democracy, not some puppet and undemocratic person. “Imran Khan is running from the no-confidence by fabricating a foreign conspiracy. We have the Supreme Court and will not let him proceed with such unconstitutional acts,” he concluded.