Clean Bowled! Imran Khan Ousted By Pakistan Parliament After Passing Midnight No-Confidence Vote

After weeks of speculations, Imran Khan has been voted out of power by the Pakistan parliament. He was removed from the PM post late Saturday night when he lost the no-confidence vote. The former cricketer joins the club of Pakistan PMs who did not finish their tenure. However, he is the first to be ousted by a no-confidence vote.

Initially, the opposition passed the motion but was quashed by the former PM himself as he dissolved the Parliament. However, the Supreme Court intervened and deemed Khan's move unconstitutional. The Parliament will now meet on Monday to elect the country's new leader amidst the recently unfolded drama.

Pakistan Embroiled In Political Crisis

For our neighbour, the last few weeks were engulfed in a political drama with Imran Khan's supporters clashing with those opposing him. Since his election in 2018, Khan has been extremely popular amongst the masses. With his promise to eradicate corruption, the people had high hopes for their favourite cricket star to hit the winning runs in the political sport.

However, it was not easy. Pakistan has been politically vulnerable, with many strong forces colliding. Similarly, Imran Khan faced stiff opposition during his tenure as the Prime Minister. Also, with the financial crisis deepening, his promises to improve Pakistan's economy went unfulfilled, giving rise to discontentment against Imran Khan.

In recent weeks, all the frustration and pressure culminated in a major political conflict. It reached its tipping point when Khan visited the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, moments before he launched an attack on Ukraine that has resulted in war between the two nations. The opposition slammed him while Imran Khan alleged that an 'international conspiracy' was afoot, suspecting American involvement in the same.

Midnight Drama

According to BBC, the vote of no-confidence was scheduled for last weekend. However, Imran Khan's party dodged the bullet by blocking the session, stating 'foreign interference'. The ruling party also asked for an election to vote for the next Prime Minister, which enraged the opposition members. Later, the Supreme Court was involved as it ruled Khan's sudden move unconstitutional.

Come Saturday night and the drama intensified further. The Parliament session continued until the wee hours as both the Supreme Court and High Court in Islamabad stayed open in case of a contempt hearing. Despite the clamour, Imran Khan stood his ground and refused to resign. However, his efforts were in vain when the lower house's speaker, Asad Qaiser, left.

The decision has left the country divided. Many are disappointed with it, as the tiny glimmer of hope was quashed with Khan being ousted by the Parliament. However, many are in favour of this. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, chairman of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), lauded it and welcomed everyone into the 'Purana' or 'old' Pakistan, a jibe at Imran Khan's claims of ushering in a 'new' Pakistan.

On Monday, the Parliament will vote for a new Prime Minister. Reports suggest that the Shahbaz Sharif is all set to take over. Whoever becomes the next Prime Minister will be in power until October 2023, when the Elections will take place in the country.

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