The soil test was carried out without the Opposition. (Archive)
Islamabad:
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan won a vote of confidence in the National Assembly on Saturday, ending political uncertainty in the country and strengthening the legitimacy of his government after a shameful defeat of the Finance Minister in close elections. to the Senate.
Imran Khan obtained 178 votes in the 342-member lower house of Parliament during a special session called by the directives of the President of Pakistan. He needed 172 votes by simple majority.
The ground test was conducted without opposition, as the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), an 11-party alliance, boycotted the vote, making it easier for Khan to get the required numbers.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi introduced a single point resolution in the House.
“That this House places its trust in the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Mr. Imran Khan, as required in clause (7) of Article 91 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,” the resolution said.
President Asad Qaiser announced the result, saying that Imran Khan had been elected to office with 176 votes more than two years ago. “Today, he has obtained 178 votes,” he said.
“A total of 178 members registered their vote in favor of the resolution and the resolution has been passed. Consequently, Imran Khan has obtained the vote of confidence and has the majority of the members of the assembly as prime minister,” said the President.
The 68-year-old cricketer-turned-politician had decided to cast a vote of confidence in the lower house of Parliament after his Finance Minister, Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, was defeated in a tight Senate election by former Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday. The opposition demanded the resignation of the prime minister after the debacle.
The ruling coalition had 181 members, but after the resignation of one of its legislators, Faisal Vowda, its strength was reduced to 180. The opposition coalition has 160 members in the House. A seat was vacant.
The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had 157 members in the NA, but following Vowda’s resignation, it now has 156 members in the National Assembly. The ruling party has said that Vowda can vote during the confidence motion as his resignation has not yet been accepted.
However, the opposition insisted that he cannot vote as he has resigned.
The ruling party’s allies include seven from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), five from the Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) and the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), three from the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) and one of each of the AML and the JWP.
Unpleasant scenes were witnessed outside the Parliament building due to the rowdy behavior of the ruling activists who tried to disrupt a press conference of opposition leaders belonging to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
The PML-N opposition leaders alleged that they had been mistreated by members of the ruling party holding banners and chanting pro-Khan slogans. The security forces succeeded in separating the political workers from the two camps.
Before the start of the session, a meeting of parliamentary parties was held where all legislators showed full confidence in the leadership of Prime Minister Khan.
PTI’s lawyer Ali Zadar said Khan made a bold decision to seek a vote of confidence and would silence the opposition that tried to pressure him.
Imran Khan is the second prime minister in Pakistani history to go to the National Assembly for a “voluntary” vote of confidence, Geo TV said.
Then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had requested a voluntary vote of confidence from Parliament after the Supreme Court granted his reinstatement in 1993.
On Friday, Prime Minister Khan chaired a meeting of parliamentary parties at the Prime Minister’s House (PMH) in which all members of the National Assembly (MNA) of the ruling alliance were asked to vote for the prime minister, from otherwise they may be disqualified.
According to a cabinet member, 175 legislators from the ruling coalition attended the parliamentary party meeting at the PMH.
Khan also held separate meetings with leaders of the ruling coalition partners. All the allied parties, the MQM, the PML-Q and the GDA pledged their support.
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