Pakistani PM Ousted in Parliament No-Confidence Vote

Islamabad, MINA – Pakistan’s parliament voted out Prime Minister Imran Khan in a no-confidence motion late Saturday, capping a month-long political turmoil that gripped the nation of 220 million.

As many as 174 lawmakers voted in favor of the no-trust motion, two more than the required 172 for a simple majority in the 324-member National Assembly, the lower house of parliament, Anadolu Agency reports.

It is the first time a Pakistani prime minister has ever been ousted by a no-confidence motion put forward by the opposition.

The session was presided by Ayaz Sadiq, a former chair of the house, as Asad Qaiser and Qasim Suri, the speaker and deputy speaker, respectively, stepped down minutes before voting began.

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The combined opposition, led by the Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, had submitted the no-confidence motion March 8.

Khan had lost his parliamentary majority after legislators from his party and key allies such as the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, a party based in the port city of Karachi, quit the ruling coalition.

The success of the no-trust move means the house will have to elect a new prime minister. The opposition has nominated Shehbaz Sharif, a former chief minister of Punjab, Pakistan’s largest province, for the post. The vote is expected to be held Monday.

Shehbaz, the head of the PML-N, paid tributes to all leaders who were part of the joint opposition and vowed that the new government would not indulge in politics of revenge.

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The PPP’s Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also congratulated the house for passing the no-trust resolution. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)

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