Pakistan’s parliament is set to vote on a no-confidence motion moved by the opposition to remove Imran Khan as prime minister, days after he blocked a similar attempt.
A defiant Khan says he is in a fight to protect the country’s sovereignty and has called his supporters to the streets to defy opponents determined to unseat him.
Khan acted unconstitutionally last Sunday in blocking the no-confidence vote and dissolving parliament, the Supreme Court ruled on Thursday, ordering parliament to reconvene.
Opposition says it has the 172 votes in the 342-seat National Assembly needed to unseat Khan, after several ruling party members and a small but key coalition partner defected.
Here are the latest updates:
23 mins ago (13:40 GMT)
PM Khan cabinet to meet as delay continues
Khan has called a cabinet meeting later today as the no-confidence vote was further delayed.
The cabinet will meet at 9 pm (1600 GMT) on Saturday, people familiar with the matter said, Reuters news agency reported.
2 hours ago (12:30 GMT)
PTI files review petition against Supreme Court decision
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) has filed a review petition against the Supreme Court order to delay a vote of no confidence.
On Thursday, the top court declared the speaker’s ruling which paved the way for the dissolution of assemblies as contrary to Pakistani law and the Constitution.
In its review petition, the PTI said that the court cannot interfere in parliament’s affairs, local media reported.
The move, according to legal experts, is aimed to delay the vote against PM Khan further.
2 hours ago (11:41 GMT)
Minister accuses Supreme Court of interference in Parliament’s affairs
Pakistan’s minister of planning, Asad Umar, has criticised the Supreme Court, saying it had no right to interfere in the affairs of the parliament.
“The Supreme Court’s decision is an interference in the supremacy of the parliament,” said Umar, who is also a close aide of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
“We respect the Supreme Court, but we are not ready to give up our [parliamentary] rights,” he added while addressing the parliament.
3 hours ago (11:16 GMT)
Committing contempt of court, Zardari tells gov’t
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has accused the speaker of parliament, Asad Qaiser, of committing contempt of the court by delaying a vote of no confidence.
“A five-judge bench issued the order and you [the speaker] could not have taken any other agenda than voting on a no-confidence motion,” said Zardari. “Implement the court order,” he urged Parliament.
“We respect the order but the court cannot interfere in Parliament’s affairs,” member of PTI and officer Amjad Ali Khan said.
4 hours ago (10:02 GMT)
Minister proposes in-camera session on ‘foreign conspiracy’
Resuming his speech in parliament, foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has offered the opposition an in-camera session on foreign conspiracy if they had any doubts.
“Let’s go into an in-camera session and let the ambassador of Pakistan to the USA come and tell the house,” Qureshi said, adding that there had been “blatant attempts of regime change” in Pakistan.
Imran Khan has accused the United States of conspiring with the opposition to remove him.
4 hours ago (09:36 GMT)
Parliament session to decide Khan’s fate resumes
The crucial National Assembly session to vote on a no-confidence motion moved by the opposition parties has resumed.
Speaker Asad Qaiser, a Khan ally, had said the session would resume at 12:30 pm (0730 GMT), but there were no signs of parliament reconvening for more than three hours.
(Al Jazeera)
5 hours ago (09:03 GMT)
‘Maniac’s fear of having to face the music’: Sharif
Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and daughter of former premier Nawaz Sharif, has accused Prime Minister Imran Khan of trying to delay the vote of no-confidence in parliament.
“A maniac’s fear of having to face the music has brought the entire country to a grinding halt and a complete standstill. The country of 22 crore (220 million) is without a government for weeks now,” she tweeted.
“This blatant violation of constitution and disregard to (Supreme Court) orders will be ugly and end badly.”
5 hours ago (08:40 GMT)
Who is Shehbaz Sharif, frontrunner for next Pakistan PM?
Shehbaz Sharif, the person most likely to be Pakistan’s next prime minister, is little known outside his home country but has a reputation domestically as an effective administrator more than as a politician.
The younger brother of three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz, 70, is leading a bid by the opposition in parliament to topple Imran Khan, and if a vote of no-confidence goes ahead on Saturday he is widely expected to replace Khan.
Shehbaz Sherif speaks to reporters outside the Supreme Court in Islamabad [File: Akhtar Soomro/Reuters]
6 hours ago (08:29 GMT)
Parliament session delayed by 90 minutes
The crucial parliamentary session to vote on the opposition’s no-confidence motion is delayed.
The speaker had adjourned the session till 12:30 pm (0730 GMT), but the proceedings have not resumed 90 minutes later.
The opposition has accused the government of delaying tactics in holding the vote.
6 hours ago (08:10 GMT)
Opposition leader asks speaker not to delay no-trust vote
Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has met National Assembly Speaker Asad Qasier, asking him not to delay the voting, Geo TV has reported.
Zardari asked the speaker not to use “delaying tactics” and hold the voting at the earliest.
Pakistani analysts say the government is delaying the vote to “frustrate” the opposition.
PTI lawmaker @asmaqadeer4 is busy scrawling “Zameerfrosh Murdabad,” “Amreeka ka Jo yar ha ghaddar ha” on placards while opposition members wait patiently for the session to begin Opposition alliance plans to vote out PM Imran Khan and elect Shehbaz Sharif new leader of the house pic.twitter.com/xyhwudVvZC
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) spokeswoman Marriyum Aurangzeb claims 176 members of the National Assembly will vote against Prime Minister Imran Khan.
In a tweet, the spokeswoman shared a break-up of legislators who she says are supporting the opposition’s no-confidence motion against Khan and are present in the house.
The embattled Prime Minister Imran Khan has not been seen in the parliament so far during the crucial session. The cricketer-turned-politician has often been criticised for not attending the proceedings of the house.
Neither Khan nor his party have issued any statement so far on whether Khan would attend the National Assembly, where a no-confidence motion against him is set to be put to vote.
The treasury benches look empty in the ongoing session, with a number of legislators from the ruling coalition deserting Khan and switching to the opposition alliance.
7 hours ago (06:33 GMT)
Deputy speaker defends blocking April 3 no-trust vote
Parliament’s deputy speaker has defended his ruling which blocked the opposition’s no-confidence motion on April 3.
“How can you overlook direct attack on the state?” Qasim Suri told Geo TV, claiming he did not violate the constitution by his move, which was overturned by the Supreme Court on Thursday.
“The entire nation felicitated me and I am proud of my ruling,” Suri said. “The entire nation is still with Imran Khan”.
The Supreme Court can order ANY state organ to compel ANYONE to comply with its orders. It can also take Suo Motu notice of any attempt by Speaker, PM or President to obstruct implementation of its orders.
Before the National Assembly session was adjourned, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in his address referred to an alleged “foreign conspiracy” to topple the government.
Qureshi said the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party wants a probe into the diplomatic cable in which a foreign country had threatened Pakistan.
Khan has accused the US of conspiring with the opposition to remove him.
8 hours ago (06:07 GMT)
Speaker adjourns National Assembly session
The National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser has adjourned the meeting of the house until 12:30 pm (0730 GMT) amid protest by the opposition leaders.
After reading details of a court ruling ordering the no-trust vote, which Khan’s allies had blocked last Sunday, Qaiser adjourned the session. He did not give a reason for halting the session before the vote.
8 hours ago (05:54 GMT)
Shehbaz urges speaker to hold no-trust vote
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif has urged the parliament’s speaker to hold a vote on the no-confidence motion moved by the opposition.
“The Supreme Court declared steps taken by you and Prime Minister Khan as unconstitutional, so please hold a vote as per the court ruling,” he said.
“It is the moment and you must catch this moment with conviction and don’t follow a selected prime minister,” he said.
In response, Speaker Asad Qaiser said, “I have read the Supreme Court decision and will follow that in letter and spirit but we want to have a discussion on a ‘foreign conspiracy’.”
9 hours ago (05:32 GMT)
Crucial parliament session starts
The crucial meeting of the National Assembly has started, with Speaker Asad Qaiser presiding over the session.
— National Assembly of Pakistan???????? (@NAofPakistan) April 8, 2022
9 hours ago (05:07 GMT)
PTI may try to delay voting: Opposition
PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah says his party fears the government will try to delay the voting through a discussion on the alleged foreign conspiracy against Imran Khan.
“Though they (government) will try to delay, the Supreme Court ruling had make it mandatory to hold the crucial vote today,” Sanaullah told reporters.
9 hours ago (05:02 GMT)
Parliament put under tight security
Special security arrangements have been made for the crucial session of the National Assembly as security staff deny entries of those without a security pass.
Many journalists and guests of legislators who were not issued passes for Saturday’s session were denied entry into the building, local Geo TV reports.
People watch PM Imran Khan’s Friday night speech on a television screen, at a cafe in Islamabad [Akhtar Soomro/Reuters]
9 hours ago (04:58 GMT)
Opposition to meet before crucial session
Legislators and leaders of various political parties have started arriving in the parliament building for the crucial session that is scheduled to start at 10:30 am local time (0530 GMT).
Before the session, the opposition parties which have moved a no-confidence motion against Imran Khan will meet to discuss their strategy in the house.
In an impassioned televised address to the nation on the eve of a no-confidence vote in parliament, Khan urged Pakistanis – particular the country’s young who have been the backbone of his support since the former cricket star-turned-politician came to power in 2018 – to rally countrywide on Sunday night.
“All of you will have to come out on Sunday after evening prayer to protest, to peacefully protest … I again say that should never indulge in violence,” he said.
FREDERICTON – A look at Blaine Higgs, leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick.
Born: March 1, 1954.
Early years: The son of a customs officer, he grew up in Forest City, N.B., near the Canada-U.S. border.
Education: Graduated from the University of New Brunswick with a degree in mechanical engineering in 1977.
Family: Married his high-school sweetheart, Marcia, and settled in Saint John, N.B., where they had four daughters: Lindsey, Laura, Sarah and Rachel.
Before politics: Hired by Irving Oil a week after he graduated from university and was eventually promoted to director of distribution. Worked for 33 years at the company.
Politics: Elected to the legislature in 2010 and later served as finance minister under former Progressive Conservative Premier David Alward. Elected Tory leader in 2016 and has been premier since 2018.
Quote: “I’ve always felt parents should play the main role in raising children. No one is denying gender diversity is real. But we need to figure out how to manage it.” — Blaine Higgs in a year-end interview in 2023, explaining changes to school policies about gender identity.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
GATINEAU, Que. – Treasury Board President Anita Anand will take on the additional role of transport minister this afternoon, after Pablo Rodriguez resigned from cabinet to run for the Quebec Liberal leadership.
A government source who was not authorized to speak publicly says Anand will be sworn in at a small ceremony at Rideau Hall.
Public Services and Procurement Minister Jean-Yves Duclos will become the government’s new Quebec lieutenant, but he is not expected to be at the ceremony because that is not an official role in cabinet.
Rodriguez announced this morning that he’s leaving cabinet and the federal Liberal caucus and will sit as an Independent member of Parliament until January.
That’s when the Quebec Liberal leadership race is set to officially begin.
Rodriguez says sitting as an Independent will allow him to focus on his own vision, but he plans to vote with the Liberals on a non-confidence motion next week.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
FREDERICTON – New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs has called an election for Oct. 21, signalling the beginning of a 33-day campaign expected to focus on pocketbook issues and the government’s provocative approach to gender identity policies.
The 70-year-old Progressive Conservative leader, who is seeking a third term in office, has attracted national attention by requiring teachers to get parental consent before they can use the preferred names and pronouns of young students.
More recently, however, the former Irving Oil executive has tried to win over inflation-weary voters by promising to lower the provincial harmonized sales tax by two percentage points to 13 per cent if re-elected.
At dissolution, the Conservatives held 25 seats in the 49-seat legislature. The Liberals held 16 seats, the Greens had three and there was one Independent and four vacancies.
J.P. Lewis, a political science professor at the University of New Brunswick, said the top three issues facing New Brunswickers are affordability, health care and education.
“Across many jurisdictions, affordability is the top concern — cost of living, housing prices, things like that,” he said.
Richard Saillant, an economist and former vice-president of Université de Moncton, said the Tories’ pledge to lower the HST represents a costly promise.
“I don’t think there’s that much room for that,” he said. “I’m not entirely clear that they can do so without producing a greater deficit.” Saillant also pointed to mounting pressures to invest more in health care, education and housing, all of which are facing increasing demands from a growing population.
Higgs’s main rivals are Liberal Leader Susan Holt and Green Party Leader David Coon. Both are focusing on economic and social issues.
Holt has promised to impose a rent cap and roll out a subsidized school food program. The Liberals also want to open at least 30 community health clinics over the next four years.
Coon has said a Green government would create an “electricity support program,” which would give families earning less than $70,000 annually about $25 per month to offset “unprecedented” rate increases.
Higgs first came to power in 2018, when the Tories formed the province’s first minority government in 100 years. In 2020, he called a snap election — the first province to go to the polls after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic — and won a majority.
Since then, several well-known cabinet ministers and caucus members have stepped down after clashing with Higgs, some of them citing what they described as an authoritarian leadership style and a focus on policies that represent a hard shift to the right side of the political spectrum.
Lewis said the Progressive Conservatives are in the “midst of reinvention.”
“It appears he’s shaping the party now, really in the mould of his world views,” Lewis said. “Even though (Progressive Conservatives) have been down in the polls, I still think that they’re very competitive.”
Meanwhile, the legislature remained divided along linguistic lines. The Tories dominate in English-speaking ridings in central and southern parts of the province, while the Liberals held most French-speaking ridings in the north.
The drama within the party began in October 2022 when the province’s outspoken education minister, Dominic Cardy, resigned from cabinet, saying he could no longer tolerate the premier’s leadership style. In his resignation letter, Cardy cited controversial plans to reform French-language education. The government eventually stepped back those plans.
A series of resignations followed last year when the Higgs government announced changes to Policy 713, which now requires students under 16 who are exploring their gender identity to get their parents’ consent before teachers can use their preferred first names or pronouns — a reversal of the previous practice.
When several Tory lawmakers voted with the opposition to call for an external review of the change, Higgs dropped dissenters from his cabinet. And a bid by some party members to trigger a leadership review went nowhere.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
