Khan becomes 1st Pakistani PM to be voted out

PESHAWAR (Pajhwok): Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was ousted from office on Sunday when 174 members of the lower house of parliament voted against him.

Before voting on the no-confidence motion began, the 342-member National Assembly speaker and his deputy announced their resignations.

After 12 hours of highly tense proceedings, former speaker Ayaz Sadiq put the no-trust motion to vote. The ex-ruling party lawmakers left the house before the voting began.

As the combined opposition celebrated its victory, Khyber Pakhtun Governor Shah Farman stood down. The chief ministers of KP and Punjab are also facing no-trust resolutions.

After announcing the result, Sadiq gave the floor to Shehbaz Sharif, who is the joint opposition’s candidate for the post of prime minister.

Sharif, who will be formally elected on Monday, commended the courage shown by leaders of the joint opposition. He promised the incoming government would not indulge in political witch-hunt.

Before the voting took place, the session was adjourned multiple times by the outgoing speaker in a show of loyalty to his leader Imran Khan.

Apart from Shahbaz Sharif, key opposition leaders Maulana Fazlur Rahman, Asif Ali Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Akhtar Mengal and others lashed out at Khan — the first Pakistani premier to be voted out.

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