Prime Minister Imran Khan has won the National Assembly’svote of confidence’ with an overwhelming majority on Saturday (today).
The premier succeeded in securing 178 votes – an overwhelming majority in wake of the minimum requirement of 171 votes necessary to win the vote of confidence in the lower house that has a total of 342 members.
The resolution for the vote of confidence on PM Imran Khan was tabled by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi under Clause 7 of Article 91 of the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan.
#Live: Prime Minister Imran Khan addressing National Assembly session after winning the vote of confidence https://t.co/0qGqkI7YRW
— Radio Pakistan (@RadioPakistan) March 6, 2021
The voting process began after NA Speaker Asad Qaiser briefed the members regarding the procedure as described in the second schedule of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly 2007.
PTI’s Aamir Liaquat Hussain felicitated PM Imran on winning the vote of confidence and recited few verses of Naat on this occasion. He also predicted that this vote of confidence on PM Imran in the lower house indicates that he is likely to get elected as prime minister for a second term as well.
Government Allies Reiterate Their Support to PM Imran Khan
Following PM’s successful bid at securing the vote of confidence from NA; two major government allies, namely Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) and MQM-P reiterated their support for PM Imran Khan.
GDA’s Fehmida Mirza reassured the government of her party’s support for the government in the future, whereas MQM-P’s Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui also reassured the premier of his party’s commitment to the PTI-led coalition.
Opposition parties boycotted the vote of confidence session as per the announcement made from the platform of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PMD) on Friday a day earlier.
PM Imran Khan Reprimands Opposition
Expressing his views PM Imran Khan reprimanded the opposition parties accusing them of horse-trading and other illegal and corrupt practices during the March 3 Senate elections.
The premier accused PPP and PML-N of having a ‘one-point agenda’ i.e. to hide their corruption by blackmailing the government over serious issues such as FATF.
The world calls Asif Ali Zardari as ‘Mr ten percent’, whereas Nawaz Sharif too had fled the country on false medical claims, said PM Imran.
The development comes as PM Imran Khan on Thursday had addressed the nation apprising the people of his decision to seek a ‘vote of confidence after the controversial Senate elections.
The premier’s decision to seek a ‘vote of confidence’ comes as the PTI-led government coalition’s candidate for a general seat from Islamabad – Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh lost to PDM-backed PPP leader and former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.
Prior to PM Imran Khan, Pakistani Prime Ministers who had sought ‘vote of confidence’ from NA throughout history include;
- Muhammad Khan Junejo
- Nawaz Sharif
- Benazir Bhutto
- Zafarullah Khan Jamali
- Shaukat Aziz
- Yousuf Raza Gilani
