PM Imran receives vote of confidence from 178 MNAs
172 members are required for vote of confidence.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday received vote of confidence from National Assembly during a special session of the lower house of the parliament.
As per details, 178 members of ruling coalition reposed confidence in leadership of Prime Minister while opposition alliance Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) boycotted the session.
NA Speaker Asad Qaiser chaired the session in which Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi tabled a resolution expressing confidence in the prime minister.
178 members supported the resolution, 6 more than the required 172 for vote of confidence in the 340 member National Assembly.
Speaker National Assembly announced the result and said Imran Khan became the Prime Minister of Pakistan after securing 176 votes in August 2018, “MashAllah today he has got 178 votes,” as the House erupted in slogans and jubilation by the members who shouted slogans “Prime Minister Imran Khan”.
The way Senate elections were held is embarrassing: PM Imran
Addressing the session after vote, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that the way Senate elections were held is embarrassing but thanked his allies for supporting him through thick and thin.
PM Imran also lauded his allies and party lawmakers and said that he sees a team in them. This team will strengthen because when you come out of difficult situation you get stronger, he stressed.
The premier said he knew that many MNAs were facing health issues but still attended the vote.
While lashing out opposition leaders, the prime minister said that Nawaz Sharif faked illness to go abroad to avoid legal consequences of his corruption while Asif Ali Zardari is a man who’s corruption and 10 percent saga has been part of articles and documentaries.
He termed opposition leaders as thieves who were blackmailing his government for an NRO and said that these people tried to sabotage FATF legislation by linking it to amendments in the NAB law. They had put the country at stake to get rid of corruption cases against them, he alleged.
Imran Khan claimed that country is on road to economic recovery as the current account is improving constantly and now even the rupee is strengthening against the dollar without government intervention. However, the premier said the biggest pressure on him was issue of inflation, but every effort is being made to tackle the issue.
Show of strength
PM Imran Khan, after an upset win by the hands of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) in Senate election on Islamabad seat, made the decision to take vote of confidence from the parliament.
PDM’s joint candidate Yousaf Raza Gillani defeated PTI’s Abdul Hafeez Sheikh in an upset victory and secured 169 votes while Abdul Hafeez Shaikh could only win 164 votes. A total of 7 votes were rejected by the Election Commission of Pakistan.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has 156 members in the National Assembly, while its allies include the MQM-P which has seven seats, the PML-Q and the BAP have five seats each, All Pakistan Muslim League and the Jamhoori Watan Party have one seat each while two independent members are also on the side of the government.
The joint opposition has 160 seats in the National Assembly. There are 83 members from PML-N and 55 from PPP. Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal Pakistan has 15 seats, BNP has 4 seats and ANP has one seat while the opposition also enjoys support of two independent candidates. However, PDM had announced a complete boycott of today’s National Assembly meeting.
