Monitoring Desk
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid said on Saturday that the no-confidence vote, to be tabled against Prime Minister Imran Khan in the National Assembly, was likely to take place on April 3 or 4.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the interior minister stated that it would take about a week more for the voting to be held if the motion is presented in the NA on March 28.
The minister added that while members of the National Assembly would face no hindrances from the ruling party in attending the vote during the no-trust session, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MNA Jam Abdul Karim, booked in the murder case of Nazim Jokhio, will be arrested upon his arrival to Pakistan from Dubai, and placed in the custody of the Inspector General of Sindh.
“According to law, Jam Abdul Karim should have appeared in court to request bail,” the minister said adding, “The director general of the Federal Investigation Agency has been informed to arrest Jam Abdul Karim – we will arrest him at the airport”.
The home minister furthered that the PPP MNA’s name will be soon added to the Exit Control List (ECL), as well as in the Interpol’s list.
Referring to the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) rally, Sheikh Rashid stated that the party’s appeal to set up a stage on Srinagar Highway by blocking the road, had been rejected.
The home minister stated that JUI-F had submitted a new appeal to register their rally and the party senators had assured the government that the procession will be held in accordance with the law.
“The PML-N has not yet submitted a formal appeal for a rally. The high courts have banned the closure of Srinagar Highway and other main highways and we will uphold this decision,” the minister stated.
Rashid added that all parties were allowed to hold rallies in Islamabad but the government will not tolerate violence. “No one will be allowed to take the law into their own hands,” he said.
In response to a question, the interior minister said that his comments regarding early elections were ‘solely his’, adding that he advised PM Imran Khan to move towards national elections after presenting the poverty budget.
“The opposition is imprudent, they have managed to bring Imran Khan to the height of his popularity,” he further added.
