QUETTA: The no-confidence motion against Speaker Balochistan Assembly Aslam Bhootani was passed by a majority, DawnNews reported.

Forty-seven votes were cast in support of the motion and against Bhootani and one in his favour.

The vote count was followed by a ruling by Deputy Speaker Syed Matiullah Agha stating that Bhootani was no longer the speaker of the provincial assembly.

After the passing of the motion, Balochistan Chief Minister Aslam Raisani said he could not rejoice over someone else's misfortune.

The chief minister moreover said that a meeting would soon be called to elect a new speaker for the provincial assembly.

Earlier on Monday, Bhootani had stated that he might move the courts if “unconstitutional voting” on a no-confidence motion against him was held in the provincial assembly.

He had told reporters that the Constitution had been violated while presenting the motion.

“The motion was presented against me after I took the stand that since the Supreme Court has declared the Balochistan government unconstitutional, I will not preside over the assembly session until the status of the provincial government is not clear.”

Bhootani had moreover said that Chief Minister Raisani was backing the movers of the motion. “The tactics of the Balochistan government will not deter me from my principled stand.”