No-trust motion: Opposition targets CM Punjab Usman Buzdar after PM Imran Khan

• Joint Opposition submits no-trust motion against Punjab CM Usman Buzdar due to his performance.
• No-confidence motion against Buzdar has been submitted in Punjab Assembly.
• Development comes in wake of increasing pressure within PTI to remove the incumbent CM.

LAHORE: The Opposition has submitted a no-confidence motion against Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar in the Punjab Assembly, Geo News reported Monday.

The joint Opposition has submitted the no-confidence motion against Buzdar on the basis of his performance.

The development comes in the wake of the Opposition's no-confidence motion and increasing pressure within the PTI to remove the incumbent chief minister.

A total of 126 lawmakers — including Rana Mashood, Ramzan Siddique, Malik Ahmed and Mian Naseer — from the Opposition parties have signed the no-confidence motion against Buzdar, said PML-N’s Rana Mashood, adding that 119 members signed the requisition for a session.

Read more: 'Written threat': PM Imran Khan sees 'foreign hand' behind efforts to topple his government

“CM Usman Bazdar has lost the confidence of the majority of the House,” read the resolution.

It said that the chief minister is not running the affairs of Punjab as per the Constitution and he has ruined the democratic norms in the province.

According to the laws, the speaker is bound to summon a session within 14 days of the submission of the no-confidence motion. The CM Punjab can no longer dissolve the Assembly after the submission of a no-confidence motion against him.

Now, CM Usman Bazdar required the support of 182 out of total 371 lawmakers to thwart the no-confidence motion against him.

On March 8, the Opposition had submitted a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan in National Assembly Secretariat which is likely to be tabled today in a crucial NA session.

Current numbers

Government:

• PTI — 183
• PML-Q — 10
• Pakistan Rah-e-Haq — 1
• Independent — 5

Total: 199

Opposition:

• PML-N — 165
• PPP — 7

Total: 172

Govt claims to have the numbers

Reacting to the no-confidence motion against CM Buzdar, Punjab government spokesperson Hasaan Khawar claimed that they have enough numbers to thwart the no-trust resolution.

“We will give surprise to the Opposition in Punjab,” he said.

The spokesperson hoped that the PML-Q and disgruntled Jahangir Khan Tareen’s (JKT) group will support the government on the no-trust motion. He maintained that the majority of the lawmakers are with CM Buzdar.

‘PTI leadership will be held accountable’

Talking to journalists after submitting the motion, PML-N leader Rana Mashhood, while criticising Buzdar, said that they do not want an "incompetent" chief minister.

Lashing out at the ruling PTI, he said that the government made new records of corruption and violated the merit and did not provide any relief to the masses.

The PTI leadership will be held accountable for their corruption, he vowed. The PML-N leader said that they would expose their scams before the people and will take them to the institutions.

Summary to dissolve Punjab Assembly being prepared

Earlier, sources privy to the matter said that Buzdar has prepared a summary to dissolve Punjab Assembly.

According to sources, the CM House has prepared the summary on Buzdar's advice and he may sign the document when PM Imran Khan gives him the signal to do so.

The sources also said that CM Buzdar is ready to resign if Imran Khan asks him to do so.

Read more: PML-N to give CM Punjab slot to PML-Q, say sources

The sources had told Geo News that many senior PTI leaders associated with the federal government are in favour of the removal of CM Buzdar.

However, Special Assistant to Prime Minister of Pakistan on Political Communication Dr Shahbaz Gill, in a tweet has said that the Punjab Assembly dissolution report was wrong.