(GNB Desk): Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday won a trust vote in the National Assembly amid opposition boycott, bolstering his government’s position after an embarrassing defeat in this week’s hotly-contested Senate elections.
Khan was able to secure 178 votes, against the 172 required to win confidence, the speaker of the house announced.
Khan is the second Prime Minister in the history of Pakistan who went to the National Assembly for a ‘voluntary’ vote of confidence, Geo TV said.
The floor test took place without the Opposition as the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) an alliance of 11 parties boycotted the voting, making it easier for Khan to secure the required numbers.
Khan decided to take a vote of confidence in the National Assembly after his finance minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh was defeated in the Senate election by former prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday. The Opposition demanded the Prime Minister’s resignation after the debacle.
A total of 172 votes in the 342-member House was needed for a simple majority. The ruling coalition had 181 members but after the resignation of one of its lawmakers, Faisal Vowda, its strength was reduced to 180. The Opposition coalition has 160 members in the House. One seat was vacant.
The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had 157 members in the NA but following the resignation of Vowda, it now has 156 members in the National Assembly. The ruling party has said that Vowda can vote during the trust motion as his resignation has not been accepted yet. However, the Opposition insisted that he cannot vote as he has tendered his resignation.
Source: PTI
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