ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday said he has written to President Arif Alvi with advice to dissolve Assemblies, adding that the democrats should go to the public and elections should be held so the people could decide who they wanted in power, Dawn news reported.
His announcement came shortly after National Assembly (NA) Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri, who was chairing Sunday’s session, dismissed the no-confidence motion against the Prime Minister, terming it a contradiction of Article 5 of the Constitution.
In his address to the nation, Khan said the “billions of rupees” that had been spent to “buy” lawmakers’ votes would be wasted and advised those who had taken money to donate it to orphanages and the poor.
“Prepare for elections. No corrupt forces will decide what the future of the country will be. When the assemblies will be dissolved, the procedure for the next elections and the caretaker government will begin,” he added.
“I would like congratulate the nation that Speaker National Assembly has rejected a move for regime change that was pushed from outside the country.”
“Since yesterday, I have received so many messages, people were worried… Treason was being committed in front of the entire nation.
“I want to tell them, ‘Ghabrana nahi’ ( do not worry),” he said in his address.
Shortly after Khan’s address, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry confirmed that the Prime Minister’s advice to dissolve the NA had been sent to President Alvi under Article 58 of the Constitution.
The much-awaited vote on the no-confidence motion was abruptly deemed “unconstitutional” during what was expected to be a crucial NA session, but was instead wrapped up within minutes of starting.
A delegation of opposition lawmakers had also submitted a no trust motion against National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser in the NA Secretariat ahead of the voting on no-trust move against the premier. -IANS