Imran Khan secured 178 votes in the 342-member lower house of Parliament. The former cricketer required 172 votes for a simple majority.
After an embarrassing defeat of the finance minister in the hotly-contested Senate elections, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday ended the political uncertainty in the country and strengthened his government’s legitimacy by winning the trust vote in the National Assembly.
During a special session convened on the directives of the Pakistan President, Imran Khan secured 178 votes in the 342-member lower house of Parliament. The former cricketer required 172 votes for a simple majority.
As the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) – an alliance of 11 parties – boycotted the voting, the floor test took place without the Opposition, making it easier for Mr Khan to secure the required numbers.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the Foreign Minister, tabled a single-point resolution in the House.
“That this House reposes confidence in the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Mr Imran Khan, as required under clause (7) of Article 91 of the Constitution Islamic Republic of Pakistan,” the resolution said.
Speaker Asad Qaiser announced the result.
“A total of 178 members recorded their vote in favour of resolution and the resolution has been passed. Consequently, Imran Khan has obtained the vote of confidence and commands the majority of the members of the assembly as the Prime minister,” the Speaker said.
After his finance minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh was defeated in the closely-fought Senate election by former prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday, the 68-year-old cricketer-turned politician had decided to take a vote of confidence in the lower house of Parliament. The Opposition had demanded the Prime Minister’s resignation after the debacle.
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