Pakistan National Assembly set to vote today on PM Imran Khan's fate

Pakistan National Assembly set to vote today on PM Imran Khan's fate

In line with a landmark Supreme Court order, the National Assembly's session for voting on the no-confidence motion against Khan will take place at 10:30 AM (local time)

FPJ Web DeskUpdated: Saturday, April 09, 2022, 09:48 AM IST
article-image
Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan, during his address to the nation on Friday | Twitter/PTIofficial

Pakistan's Parliament is all set to vote on the crucial no-confidence resolution on Saturday against defiant Prime Minister Imran Khan who faces the possibility of being the first premier in the country's history to be voted out in a no-trust motion.

In line with a landmark Supreme Court order, the National Assembly's session for voting on the no-confidence motion against Khan will take place at 10:30 AM (local time).

The Opposition parties need 172 members in the 342-member house to orchestrate the downfall of Prime Minister Khan. They have garnered the support of more than the needed strength with the help of some allies of the ruling coalition and rebels from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of the 69-year-old cricketer-turned politician.

But despite an impression that it has lost its majority in the lower house, the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) is still adamant that it would not leave the field open for the opposition and has vowed to make things as difficult for them as they can, be it creating hurdles in the voting procedure or preventing the election of opposition nominee Shehbaz Sharif as the new leader of the house.

According to Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, the government will present the ‘threatening’ cable or its contents in the assembly and will ask the speaker for a debate on the issue.

Speaking to ARY News on Friday night, he was of the opinion that even though the vote of no confidence was on the agenda, voting would likely not take place on Saturday.

He said that while the SC had instructed voting to be held in the session called on April 9, that doesn’t mean it will have to be on the same date.

Saturday's confidence vote comes after opposition lawmakers put forward a no-confidence motion to parliament last Sunday, in a bid to oust Khan from power.

But parliament's deputy speaker Qasim Suri - a member of Khan's political party - swiftly blocked the vote, saying it showed "foreign interference". Suri also said that it went against the constitution, which calls for loyalty to the state.

Khan's government went on to dissolve parliament and called for a snap election to be held. This made several opposition members furious, with some accusing the prime minister of "treason" for blocking the vote.

Opposition figures submitted a petition to the Supreme Court to assess the situation.

On Thursday, Pakistan's top court ruled that Khan's decision to stop the vote from going ahead was unconstitutional. It ordered that the no-confidence vote should go ahead again on Saturday, 9 April.

RECENT STORIES

Singapore Summer 2024 Set To Sizzle, With 2023 Recording 4th Hottest Ever

Singapore Summer 2024 Set To Sizzle, With 2023 Recording 4th Hottest Ever

Canada: Rude Customer Abuses Indian-Origin Pizza Delivery Man In Toronto; Video Sparks Outrage

Canada: Rude Customer Abuses Indian-Origin Pizza Delivery Man In Toronto; Video Sparks Outrage

Paris Viral Video: High Voltage Drama At Charles de Gaulle Airport As Migrants Protest Against...

Paris Viral Video: High Voltage Drama At Charles de Gaulle Airport As Migrants Protest Against...

Pakistan Horror: Man Strangulates Sister To Death In Family's Presence; Shocking Crime...

Pakistan Horror: Man Strangulates Sister To Death In Family's Presence; Shocking Crime...

Baltimore Bridge Collapse: Racist Posts Target Indian Crew On Social Media Following Collision

Baltimore Bridge Collapse: Racist Posts Target Indian Crew On Social Media Following Collision