Pakistan Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri did not resign, clarifies National Assembly Secretariat

Islamabad, Apr 10: Pakistan National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri has not resigned from his office amid the high-octane no-trust vote against Imran Khan.

"Qasim Suri didn't resign and he will chair the National Assembly session on Monday (tomorrow)," clarified the National Assembly Secretariat.

Reports were rife Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri resigned on Saturday night minutes after the crucial session of the house resumed for after a break of over three hours.

After announcing resignation, he asked Ayaz Sadiq of PML-N to chair the proceedings, to conduct the proceedings.

The Pakistan tehreek-e-insaf chief Imran Khan on Sunday became the first Pakistan Prime Minister to be ousted through no-confidence vote in Pakistan's history. Imran Khan loses no-trust motion with 174 members voting against him in Pakistan's National Assembly.

Khan, 69, was not present in the lower house at the time of voting. His party lawmakers staged a walkout. The joint Opposition - a rainbow of socialist, liberal and radically religious parties - secured the support of 174 members in the 342-member National Assembly, more than the needed strength of 172 to oust the prime minister on a day full of drama and multiple adjournments of the lower house.

No prime minister in Pakistan's history was ever ousted through a no-confidence motion. Khan is the first premier whose fate was decided through a trust vote.