ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has won a vote of confidence from the National Assembly after 178 MNAs voted for the premier by a show of hand.
For a successful vote of confidence, 172 votes are needed but Imran Khan was able to secure a vote of confidence with 6 extra votes.
PM Khan had called for a vote of confidence after Yousaf Raza Gilani, the PDM’s senate candidate from Islamabad defeated Finance Minister Hafeez Sheikh, reflecting that during secret balloting, PDM had more MNAs that PTI and its allies.
After announcing the result, NA speaker Asad Qaiser gave the floor to Amir Liaquat, who dedicated poetic verses as an ode to Imran Khan. Later on, MQM’s Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui took the floor and congratulated the premier on his success.
“You got the confidence [of the House], now it is your turn to return that confidence to the nation,” Siddiqui said, asking the premier to fulfill his promises to his party and the country.
Fehmida Mirza from GDA, who had arrived to vote for PM Khan contrary to some news reports said that the government’s allies would always stand with Imran khan whenever there was a threat to the continuity of democracy despite any grievances they might have.
Punjab CM Usman Buzdar, Balochistan CM Jam Kamal, Senate Chairperson Sadiq Sanjrani and other officials met in NA Speaker Asad Qaiser’s chamber prior to the voting.
