Opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif looks all set to be confirmed as Pakistan’s new prime minister (PM) today after Imran Khan was ousted via a no-confidence motion on Sunday. Although he has likely secured a majority of votes in the National Assembly, he will go up against Vice-chairperson and Minister of Foreign Affairs Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who has been nominated as the candidate from Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI).
Late on Saturday, the NA convened for a no-confidence motion after the Supreme Court ruled the previous day that Khan’s decision on April 3 to dissolve the parliament and dismiss the trust vote against him was unconstitutional. The motion was passed with a majority of 174 votes in the 342-member NA.
As a result, Khan became the first PM in Pakistan’s history to be removed via a trust vote, which is the only constitutional way to oust a sitting leader. He also continues the legacy of his predecessors, none of whom were able to complete their five-year term as PM.
National Assembly Update : 174 Votes have been cast in fav of No Confidence without PTI dissenters الحمدللّٰہ . Ayaz sb couldn’t cast vote as he is chairing the historic session. https://t.co/g5dZ4s5Ecf
— Marriyum Aurangzeb (@Marriyum_A) April 9, 2022
Along with Khan, NA Speaker Asad Qaisar announced his resignation, declaring, “The country’s interest must be the priority.” He stated that he did not want to be a part of the process to institute a foreign-funded government, reiterating Khan’s claims of a foreign conspiracy of regime change.
In a parallel development, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry announced that he and a number of other PTI members would resign if FM Qureshi is not appointed as PM in the parliamentary vote today. However, Qureshi has since said that no “final decision” on mass resignations has been made yet, indicating an internal rift within the party on the issue.
Thank you to all Pakistanis for their amazing outpouring of support & emotions to protest against US-backed regime change abetted by local Mir Jafars to bring into power a coterie of pliable crooks all out on bail. Shows Pakistanis at home & abroad have emphatically rejected this
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) April 10, 2022
Apart from unrest within the PTI and the NA at large, Khan’s ouster has also resulted in nationwide protests. In fact, during his address to the nation on Friday, Khan called on his supporters to take to the streets and pressurise the government to hold early elections. “I will not accept an imported government… I’m ready for a struggle,” he proclaimed.
In response, over 20,000 protested against the no-confidence motion in Karachi and vowed to reinstate Khan to his position. Similar gatherings took place in Islamabad, Faisalabad, Multan, Gujranwala, Vehari, and Jhelum, wherein demonstrators were waving the party flag and chanting slogans.
Never have such crowds come out so spontaneously and in such numbers in our history, rejecting the imported govt led by crooks. pic.twitter.com/YWrvD1u8MM
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) April 10, 2022
After Saturday’s vote, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Sharif celebrated the vote as a victory, declaring, “A new dawn has started… This alliance will rebuild Pakistan,” adding, “We will not seek revenge. We will not put people in jails, but the law will take its course.” However, according to the Federal Investigation Agency, six of Khan’s key aides, including ex-special assistant Shahbaz Gill, have been put on a “stop list” that bans them from travelling outside the country unless they receive prior permission.
Sharif’s decision to submit his nomination for PM on Monday was met with severe objection from several senior PTI members, who have cited pending money laundering and corruption charges against him. NA Secretary Tahir Hussain, however, ignored these concerns and has accepted his nomination.
Pakistan Trust Vote Coverage:
- Pakistan SC Rules Dissolution of NA “Unconstitutional”, Trust Vote Against PM Khan on Sat.
- Pakistan Imran Khan Dissolves Parliament and Calls for Early Election
- Pakistan PM Imran Khan Loses Majority Just Days Before Trust Vote as MQM-P Severs Ties
- Pakistan PM Imran Khan Insists on Foreign Conspiracy With Alleged Threat Letter
- Pakistan PM Khan Succumbs to Pressure From Within Coalition, Ousts Punjab CM Buzdar
- Pakistan PM Imran Khan Claims “Foreign Money” Fuelling Opposition’s Goal of Toppling Gov’t
- Pakistan Interior Minister Warns PTI “Turncoats” of Early Elections Ahead of Trust Vote
- Pakistan Army Chief Bajwa Reportedly Asks PM Imran Khan to Resign After OIC Conference
- Embattled Pakistan PM Imran Khan Calls Army “Animals” for ‘Neutral’ Stance on Trust Vote
- Pakistan PM Imran Khan Scrambles For Support as Opposition Submits No-Confidence Motion
- Pakistani PM Imran Khan Warns Opposition of Consequences of Failed No-Trust Vote
Shehbaz Sharif is the younger brother of former PM Nawaz Sharif, who has held the position three times before. Shehbaz has also previously served as the Chief Minister of Punjab on three previous occasions. He is understood to have already secured the support of a unified opposition and is all set to become the country’s 23rd PM.
Sharif will be presented with the same challenges as his predecessor, who has left behind a barrage of unresolved political and economic issues, including continued attacks by armed groups and deteriorating foreign relations, particularly with the US. Acknowledging this during an interview with Al Jazeera, Sharif said, “The collapse of governance is so complete that it will take real work to stem the rot. We have had discussions with our allies on the way forward once this government goes home.”
2) Unprecedented Inflation: ALL quintiles experienced RAPID inflation (including food inflation). Thus, with a falling GDP per capita (figure 1) and increasing prices, Pakistan essentially experienced a stagnating economy with rising prices: another historic achievement of IK. pic.twitter.com/V4gJVmTUig
— Shahram Azhar (@ShahramAzhar) April 3, 2022
4) Investments and Equities: Pakistani stock market indices have STILL not reached their levels in 2017. In short, the period was terrible for everyone: investors, workers, industrialists, ordinary consumers. pic.twitter.com/3iFfw5DzZ4
— Shahram Azhar (@ShahramAzhar) April 3, 2022