ISLAMABAD:Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Qasim Suri on Sunday 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.