A no-confidence motion against Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was tabled on Monday in the National Assembly by the leader of the Opposition and PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif, setting in motion the process in the lower house to remove the cricketer-turned-politician from office.

As the much-anticipated session began after a two-day recess on Monday, deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri asked MPs, who are in favour of the motion, to stand up to that their numbers could be counted.

Sharif first moved a resolution to allow tabling of the no-confidence motion in the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament, which was approved by 161 yes votes.

It was followed by the tabling of the no-confidence motion by Sharif, capping the first phase of the constitutional procedure.

Since the voting should be held between three to seven days, deputy Speaker Suri who was chairing the session in the absence of Speaker Asad Qaidar, prorogued the session until 4pm on March 31, when it would reconvene for debate and voting.

Khan needs 172 votes in the house of 342 to foil the bid. Since Khan’s allies with 23 members are still not committed to support him and since two dozen lawmakers from within the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf have revolted, the situation was still fluid.

Khan was to meet Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid, a key ally, while the Opposition was scheduled to hold a massive rally in Islamabad, with both camps claiming to have the numbers to succeed.

Pakistan plunged into uncertainty on March 8 after the combined Opposition submitted the motion with the National Assembly along with a requisition to the Speaker to summon the session within the mandatory 14 days.

Though the session was called on March 25, three days after the deadline, the speaker refused to allow the motion to be tabled. Talking to mediapersons, interior minister Sheikh Rashid said the no-confidence resolution would be decided by March 31, adding that Khan was not going anywhere.