Pakistan: No-confidence vote against PM Imran Khan likely today
The National Assembly of Pakistan is likely to take up a no-trust vote against Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday. To recall, the Opposition parties submitted a no-confidence motion on March 8 in the National Assembly, based on their mutual agenda and hatred to oust Khan while holding his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) government responsible for Pakistan's ongoing economic crisis and spiraling inflation, reported NDTV.
Why does this story matter?
The Opposition needs 172 votes in the 342-member National Assembly to remove Khan, a cricketer-turned-politician, from power. Led by Khan, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is the current ruling party in Pakistan and has 155 members in the Lower House. It needs at least 172 lawmakers to remain in power. The party is said to have the backing of 23 members from six other political parties.
Khan extended olive branch to 24 dissident lawmakers
Following the submission of the no-confidence motion by nearly 100 lawmakers from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP) on March 8, PM Khan had extended an olive branch to some 24 dissident lawmakers of his party on Sunday (March 20). He said he was ready to forgive them like a "compassionate father" if they came back to the PTI's fold.
'Return to the party's fold or face a social boycott'
"I will forgive you if you come back... I am like a father who forgives his children...no action will be taken against you," Khan said at a rally in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Sunday. Simultaneously, he warned that those who don't heed his words will face a "social boycott." "Return to the party's fold or face social boycott," he said, warning the rebel PTI lawmakers.
Two dozen ruling party dissident lawmakers have openly come out
Moreover, the present coalition government of Pakistan has accused the Opposition parties of horse-trading after nearly two dozen ruling party dissident lawmakers had come out in the open recently ahead of the vote on the no-confidence motion against the prime minister.
Khan sure of his win amid meetings to sway votes
Meanwhile, Khan is reportedly sure of his win in the no-trust vote in the Assembly and even warned the Opposition recently "you are going to lose this match badly." Notably, on March 6 last year, Khan won a similar trust vote after PTI suffered defeat in Senate elections. Both the government and Opposition parties have been meeting frequently to sway votes in their favor.
