Deputy Speaker of National Assembly Qasim Suri has resigned from the post. Important to note, the move came hours before voting on no-confidence motion against him.
Sharing a copy of his resignation on Twitter, Suri said his move signified his association with the vision of his party, PTI, and democracy.
“We will never compromise on Pakistan’s sovereignty and integrity. We will fight for the country’s interests and independence and will go to any length to protect Pakistan,” he tweeted.
قومی اسمبلی سے استعفیٰ میری پارٹی کے وژن، اس کی شاندار وراثت اور جمہوریت کے ساتھ اس کی وابستگی کی علامت ہے، پاکستان کی خودمختاری اور سالمیت پر کبھی سمجھوتہ نہیں کریں گے ملکی مفادات اور آزادی کے لیے لڑیں گے اور 🇵🇰 کے تحفظ کے لیے کسی بھی حد تک جائیں گے۔ #امپورٹڈ_حکومت_نامنظور pic.twitter.com/fIskL5pVLg
— Qasim Khan Suri (@QasimKhanSuri) April 16, 2022
Pertinent to mention, Qasim Suri had been facing severe criticism from the Opposition due to his April 3 ruling to dismiss the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan. As a result, the Opposition submitted a no-confidence motion against Qasim Suri.
In the resolution, the Opposition stated that the deputy speaker has “repeatedly” violated the rules, parliamentary practices, democratic norms and traditions and even Constitutional provisions. Moreover, the Opposition also claimed that when presiding over the House, Qasim Suri “failed to conduct proceedings in an orderly manner to enable productive debate on issues of public importance.”
Read more: Constitutional crisis of no confidence motion: In conflict with democratic norms?
Furthermore, Qasim Suri also came under fire for accepting the resignations of the PTI MNAs. Earlier, PTI MNAs had quit the NA en masse right before the election of Shehbaz Sharif as the country’s new prime minister following Khan’s ouster. The PPP and PML-N accused Suri of pressuring the NA secretariat into accepting the resignations.
Praise for Qasim Suri
On the other hand, Qasim Suri’s popularity among the public increased. Interestingly, his April 3 ruling bagged him a spot among the top social media trends. His strong words and the decision to dismiss the no-confidence motion came as a surprise to the Opposition. As a result, Pakistani netizens hailed his decision and commented on his remarks.
If bravery had a face then it would definitely be this man.
Qasim Suri ❤❤#امپورٹڈ_حکومت_نامنظور pic.twitter.com/cWDQLYrWdP
— Faisal Khan (@KaliwalYam) April 15, 2022
Even Indian media provided coverage to Qasim Suri. Indian media broadcasted news on his political background and his association with PTI. Moreover, Indian News Channel Zee News also complimented former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s bold move to dissolve assemblies, saying that he did surprise the opposition and the whole world. The anchor praised the power of Pakistani politics, which he compared with a cricket match.