Pakistan No-confidence vote: Fearing ouster, Imran Khan offers to dissolve assembly

Islamabad, Mar 31: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has reportedly offered to dissolve the assembly if the no-confidence motion against him is withdrawn, as per a report in Pakistan media.

The cricketer-turned-politician has said that he is ready to face any situation if the Opposition doesn't agree to his suggestion, Geo News reported Thursday, citing sources.

An "important personality" has given a message of Imran Khan to the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif, the report added.

On the other hand, Khan is set to address the nation later tonight ahead of the no-confidence motion against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led government.

Federal minister Fawad Chaudhry, on Twitter, wrote, "Prime Minister Imran Khan will address the nation tonight". It comes after Pakistan National Assembly decided take up discussion on the no-confidence motion against Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan-led government in the Lower House session which is scheduled at 4 pm today.

The Pakistan PM deferred his address to the nation on Thursday following an announcement about talking to people about a "foreign-funded conspiracy letter" to show "evidence" of attempts to topple his government.

However, the letter was apparently losing steam as it was written by none other than a Pakistani envoy and is based on a meeting of embassy officials with the officials of the host country, who expressed displeasure at the foreign policy of Pakistan about the ongoing Ukraine war.

Following the pressure by the Opposition, the government has also indicated to brief a parliament body on security about the letter. "If the parliamentary leaders from the government and the opposition side agree, the issue of the sensitive letter can be discussed at an in-camera meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security," Asad Qaisar, Speaker of the National Assembly tweeted.

Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) President Shahbaz Sharif on Monday tabled the no-confidence motion. With this move, Imran Khan became the third Pakistani PM to face the no-confidence motion.

In the 342-member National Assembly, Imran Khan's party has 155 members. It needs at least 172 members to sail through the no-confidence vote. With 24 of its own MNAs turning dissidents. PTI