No-Trust Move Will Fail: Shujat

MAKKAH, 24 June 2003 — President of the Pakistan Muslim League, Quaid-e-Azam group, Chaudhry Shujat Hussain has said the opposition’s bid to oust the speaker of the National Assembly through a no-confidence motion will fail.

Talking to Pakistani journalists here yesterday, Shujat, who is in the Kingdom on a visit, said the ruling alliance is ready to face the challenge and would defeat the opposition move.

Shujat, who is also the parliamentary leader in the National Assembly, lower house of Parliament, said there are many people in the opposition who are aware of their responsibilities and know how to act in a democratic dispensation.

Shujat exuded confidence that those bent on harming democracy would not succeed.

He said the opposition had acted in haste in tabling a no-trust motion against the speaker.

He said some elements always tried to sabotage democracy and the tabling of a no-confidence motion was an example of that. “It is part of the conspiracy of such people”, he said.

Shujat said under the rules, 172 votes in the 343-seat assembly were required to push the motion through, but the opposition would not be able to garner support of more than 145 members.

He said some members of the opposition were not in favor of the no-confidence motion against the speaker.

Shujat said he would appeal to those elements not to become a tool in the hands of the opposition.

According to Shujat, the no-trust motion against the speaker was an undemocratic move and against the parliamentary norms because the opposition itself had asked the speaker to give his ruling on the Legal Framework Order (LFO).

When the speaker, he said, did not give his ruling according to the wishes of the opposition, it tabled a no-trust motion against him.

Shujat again urged the opposition not to make the LFO an issue and instead work for the promotion of democracy and the development of the country.

Shujat will return to Islamabad on June 25. He will hold a meeting of heads of political parties to discuss strategy about the June 28 National Assembly session.