Pakistan midnight nautanki: Speaker, his Deputy resign ahead of motion against Imran Khan

Amid the midnight nautanki in Pakistan, the National Assembly Speaker, Asad Qaiser and Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri have resigned from their posts in the parliament ahead of the no-confidence motion vote against Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The voting for Imran Khan’s no-confidence motion voting has begun in the parliament. After the speaker and deputy announced his resignation, opposition party leader Ayaz Saduq has been invited to the assembly session to preside over.

As per reports, a prisoner van has also reached the assembly for the Speaker and Deputy Speaker’s arrest if the voting is not held by midnight as ordered by the Supreme Court. The Tehreek-e-Insaf government, run under the guidance of Imran Khan, failed to file a review petition in the Supreme court challenging its decision to neglect the deputy speaker’s decision on the no-trust vote.

Following the delay in voting on the no-confidence motion, the joint Opposition, in a statement said that Imran Khan has lost all his powers and is no longer the prime minister of Pakistan.

PM Imran Khan on late Saturday night summoned a meeting of his cabinet ministers. Reportedly, he announced in the cabinet meeting that he is not ready to resign. Opposition leader Maryan Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President called for the arrest of Imran Khan, the Speaker, and the Deputy Speaker.

On Friday, Imran Khan addressed the nation and said that he was disappointed with the judicial outcome. He also praised India and called it a nation of self-respecting people.