LAHORE, Mar 21 (APP):Governor Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar has said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) elected members are not likely to vote against Prime Minister Imran Khan in the no-confidence move of the opposition parties.
Talking to the media men during convocation of the Lahore College for Women (LCWU) here on Monday, he said penalty for floor-crossing should very clearly be defined, adding that the government’s decision to go to the Supreme Court for the clarification of Article 63 on the issue of floor-crossing of members is justified.
The Governor Punjab said it is the responsibility of the opposition to complete 172 votes to make the no-confidence motion a success, adding that the government will contest constitutionally and democratically.
Governor Punjab also conferred honorary PhD on Noshina Mubarak, Member Parliament Great Britain, besides distributing awards among the position holders.
Governor Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar said filing presidential reference in the Supreme Court on the issue of floor-crossing of members of the Assembly is not surrender but is a constitutional and democratic right of the government.
He said the apex court should clarify once and for all that if a member is found involved in floor crossing, how long will he be disqualified and what will be the penalty for him. He said if the government seeks guidance from the Supreme Court on any matter, then no one should object to it.
Sarwar, to a query, said no-confidence motion has been tabled by the opposition, and now it is the responsibility of the opposition to get 172 votes for its approval, adding that as far as PTI elected members are concerned, there is no doubt that these members have a constitutional, legal and moral obligation to vote according to the party-line and must not support some other party.
“I expect that our members of the Assembly will not vote against the party”, he said.
Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar said that the decision to convene the OIC conference in Pakistan and to fully welcome the participants of the conference is backed by all political and religious parties of Pakistan. He said there will be important consultations and decisions on other issues, including Kashmir, Palestine, and Afghanistan.
The Governor Punjab said he firmly believed that the dream of development of Pakistan cannot be realized without the participation of women in the journey of development, adding that educated women must come forward in practical work.
He said the government is committed to providing social security and confidence to women, adding, “We strive to restore the confidence of our women by addressing the issues of domestic violence and gender inequality so that they should be able to use their best skills in the journey of collective development of the nation.”
