Islamabad: In a growing confrontation with the government, Pakistan's Opposition parties on June 20 moved a no-confidence motion against National Assembly speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain over his recent ruling declaring as legal President Pervez Musharraf's Constitutional amendments.

A total of 12 Opposition deputies formally submitted the no-confidence motion in the Speaker office.

"By giving a ruling on the Legal Framework Order (LFO), the speaker has compromised the sovereignty and supremacy of the National Assembly," deputy chief of the six-party Islamic alliance Muttahida Majlis- e-Amal (MMA) and Jamat-e-Islami leader Qazi Hussain Ahmed said.

Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali has said that the pro-military ruling coalition, headed by his Pakistan Muslim League-Quaide Azam (PML-Q) would defend Hussain and defeat the no confidence motion.

"I hope the Opposition would not move the no trust motion against the Speaker. But if they do, we will defend the Speaker," Jamali told reporters on June 20.

While moving the motion, the Opposition parties denied the move was symbolic as the government had the necessary majority in the National Assembly to defeat the motion.

"No it is not symbolic. It is more than that. Because under the rules of the session to discuss the motion has to be called in seven days. After that the Speaker has to step down during the debate and the House would be conducted by his Deputy," Pakistan Peoples Party's Fartullah Babar said.

PTI