'A good man sent home': Fawad Hussain as no-confidence vote takes place in Pakistan National Assembly

Pakistan's Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Hussain expressed regret on Sunday as the voting on no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan began in the National Assembly and said "return of looters a good man sent home".

"Sad day for Pakistan.....return of looters a good man sent home," Fawad Hussain tweeted.

Pakistan Muslim League's (N) Ayaz Sadiq is chairing the session in the Pakistan National Assembly and voting on the no-trust vote has begun.

This vote comes after National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser resigned from his post, saying he could not take part in a foreign conspiracy to oust Imran Khan, Dawn newspaper reported.

"In line with our laws and the need to stand for our country, I have decided that I can't remain on the position of speaker and thereby resign," he said.

After weeks of drama, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser agreed to hold voting on the no-confidence motion after he was warned by assembly officials regarding the violation of the court's order, Geo News reported.

Earlier, Qaiser had refused to allow the voting, saying that he shares a 30-year-long relationship with Imran Khan, who he cannot betray.

The crucial session of the house began at 10:30 am (11:00 IST) with Speaker Qaiser, a senior member of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's party, in chair. Since then, the session was adjourned thrice for one reason or another.

Imran Khan tried to block a no-confidence motion last week and dissolved the lower house of parliament, but Pakistan's top court ordered on Thursday the vote would have to be held by Saturday.

The Pakistani National Assembly had a total strength of 342 members, with the majority mark being 172. The PTI-led coalition was formed with the support of 179 members, with Imran Khan's PTI having 155 members, and four major allies MQM-P, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) having seven, five, five and three members respectively.

The opposition party had moved the no-trust motion against the PM on March 8.

( With inputs from ANI )