Pakistan Parliament to meet on Friday to take up no-trust motion against PM Imran Khan

The PTI has 155 members in Pakistan’s National Assembly and needs at least 172 lawmakers on its side to remain in the government

Pakistan's National Assembly will convene on Friday to take up a no-trust motion against embattled Prime Minister Imran Khan, who on Sunday offered an olive branch to some 24 dissident lawmakers of his party, saying he was ready to forgive them like a "compassionate father" if they returned to the party.

Around 100 lawmakers from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) submitted the no-confidence motion before the National Assembly Secretariat on March 8, alleging that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) government led by Mr. Khan was responsible for the economic crisis and the spiralling inflation in the country.

On Sunday, the National Assembly Secretariat issued a notification, paving the way for holding the key session which the Opposition had demanded to be convened by March 21 as per the legal requirements.

"The session will convene at 11 a.m. on Friday and will be the 41st session of the current National Assembly,” according to the notification issued by Speaker Asad Qaiser.

The Opposition has been demanding that the session should be summoned within 14 days but Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid said at a press conference it can be delayed due to extraordinary circumstances.

The delay in this case is due to the 48th Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers on March 22 and 23 at the Parliament House.

Initially, the Opposition had threatened to stage a sit-in if the session was not called on time. However, they toned down its stance by stressing that Pakistan’s political turmoil will not be allowed to affect the high-profile event in any way.