Pakistan’s National Assembly passes no-confidence motion in PM
2022-04-10 14:42:29Source: Xinhua News Agency
Xinhua News Agency, Islamabad, April 10 (Reporter Jiang Chao Li Hao) Pakistan’s National Assembly (lower house of parliament) passed a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan in the early morning of the 10th. Imran Khan becomes the first prime minister in Pakistan’s history to be ousted by the National Assembly.
In a vote held by the National Assembly of Pakistan, a motion of no confidence put forward by the opposition coalition received 174 votes in favour. According to the Constitution of Pakistan and the rules of procedure of the parliament, a motion of no confidence can be passed as long as it is supported by more than half of the seats in the National Assembly, that is, 172 votes.
Before the vote, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Assad Kaiser, announced his resignation, and the vote was chaired by MP Sardar Ayaz al-Sadiq.
On March 28, the opposition coalition formally presented a motion of no-confidence against Imran Khan to the National Assembly. On April 3, the deputy speaker of the National Assembly, Kasim Suri, vetoed the motion, and then Pakistani President Alvi approved Imran Khan’s proposal and announced the dissolution of the National Assembly.
On the 7th of this month, the Supreme Court of Pakistan ruled that Suri’s decision to veto the opposition coalition’s motion of no confidence against Imran Khan was unconstitutional and annulled; it ruled that Alvi’s decision to dissolve the National Assembly was invalid, announced the restoration of the National Assembly and the Cabinet, and asked the Speaker No later than 10:30 local time on the 9th (13:30 Beijing time) to convene the National Assembly to vote on the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan.
Pakistan’s last National Assembly election was held on July 25, 2018. The Justice Movement party led by Imran Khan won and became the largest party in the National Assembly. Imran Khan was sworn in as Prime Minister on August 18, 2018.