ISLAMABAD: Leader of Opposition in National Assembly (NA) Shehbaz Sharif on Friday demanded “foolproof security” for the opposition leaders on April 3, the day of no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Imran Khan.
In a letter to Interior Secretary, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president said opposition members should be provided with enhanced security in light of PM Imran’s announcing 100,000 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf supporters’ arrival before vote.
The letter further stated that the district administration and the police should “perform their duties in accordance with the Constitution and the law” to ensure the security of the opposition lawmakers.
Shehbaz also demanded foolproof security on the day of the election of the new prime minister. A copy of the letter has been sent to commissioner Islamabad, deputy commissioner and inspector general.
The voting on the opposition’s no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan will take place on April 3 after the opposition, irked by the adjournment of the National Assembly session earlier in the day within minutes after commencing, accused the premier of trying to escape the resolution.
“On coming Sunday, it will be decided in which direction this country will go,” the premier said during a live address to the nation on Thursday.
The premier, during a nearly hour-long live address to the nation, vowed to foil “an international conspiracy” hatched against his government by opposition leaders and their alleged handlers ahead of the no-confidence vote in the National Assembly.
In an apparent slip of the tongue, he had revealed the name of the United States as the country behind the “threat letter”. However, reacting to the prime minister’s address, opposition parties had declared him to be a “security threat”.
Earlier, NA Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri adjourned the proceedings after seeing the strength of the opposition parties’ lawmakers, who repeatedly asked him to hold voting on the motion instead of proceeding ahead with Q&A session.
