Islamabad: Pakistan’s parliament will vote on Saturday whether to remove Imran Khan As prime minister, days after he blocked a similar effort, adding to the political and economic uncertainty in the potentially nuclear-armed country.
Ahead of the vote that Khan is widely expected to lose, the former cricket star vowed to “struggle” against any move to replace him, the latest turning point in a crisis that has left the South Asian nation of 22 crore people political. and threatens economic stability. ,
Khan acted unconstitutionally last Sunday to block a vote of no confidence And dissolving parliament, the country’s Supreme Court ruled on Thursday, ordering parliament to be reconvened.
MPs return to the lower house of parliament at 10:30 am (0530 GMT). Vote brought by the Leader of the Opposition Shahbaz SharifAt the forefront, who will replace Khan, is the fourth point on the agenda of the day.
The 69-year-old prime minister, who came to power in 2018 with the support of the military, recently lost his parliamentary majority when allies left his coalition government. Opposition parties say they have failed to revive the battered economy COVID-19 Or fulfill the promise of making Pakistan a corruption-free, prosperous nation with respect on the world stage.
The opposition and some analysts say that Khan has developed differences with the army, a charge he and the army deny. The military has ruled the state for half of its 75-year post-colonial history, and no prime minister has completed his five-year term.
The prime minister, who garnered widespread public support when he took office, said late Friday that he was disappointed with the court’s decision but accepted it. He called the election after the dissolution of Parliament.
But he said he would not recognize any opposition government to replace him.
“I will not accept an imported government,” he told the nation in a late-night address, suggesting the move to remove him was part of a foreign conspiracy and called for a peaceful protest on Sunday. “I am ready to fight.”
Khan opposed US-led intervention in Afghanistan and developed relations with Russia since becoming prime minister. He has accused the United States of supporting a conspiracy to oust him without providing evidence of his claim, which Washington has denied.
As the turmoil continued, Pakistan’s rupee hit an all-time low on Thursday and forex reserves fell. The central bank raised its benchmark interest rate to 2.5 percent, the biggest hike since 1996.
If Khan loses the no-confidence vote, the opposition will field a candidate for prime minister.
Sharif, the younger brother of three-time former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, said after the court’s decision that the opposition had nominated Khan to remove him from office.
Ahead of the vote that Khan is widely expected to lose, the former cricket star vowed to “struggle” against any move to replace him, the latest turning point in a crisis that has left the South Asian nation of 22 crore people political. and threatens economic stability. ,
Khan acted unconstitutionally last Sunday to block a vote of no confidence And dissolving parliament, the country’s Supreme Court ruled on Thursday, ordering parliament to be reconvened.
MPs return to the lower house of parliament at 10:30 am (0530 GMT). Vote brought by the Leader of the Opposition Shahbaz SharifAt the forefront, who will replace Khan, is the fourth point on the agenda of the day.
The 69-year-old prime minister, who came to power in 2018 with the support of the military, recently lost his parliamentary majority when allies left his coalition government. Opposition parties say they have failed to revive the battered economy COVID-19 Or fulfill the promise of making Pakistan a corruption-free, prosperous nation with respect on the world stage.
The opposition and some analysts say that Khan has developed differences with the army, a charge he and the army deny. The military has ruled the state for half of its 75-year post-colonial history, and no prime minister has completed his five-year term.
The prime minister, who garnered widespread public support when he took office, said late Friday that he was disappointed with the court’s decision but accepted it. He called the election after the dissolution of Parliament.
But he said he would not recognize any opposition government to replace him.
“I will not accept an imported government,” he told the nation in a late-night address, suggesting the move to remove him was part of a foreign conspiracy and called for a peaceful protest on Sunday. “I am ready to fight.”
Khan opposed US-led intervention in Afghanistan and developed relations with Russia since becoming prime minister. He has accused the United States of supporting a conspiracy to oust him without providing evidence of his claim, which Washington has denied.
As the turmoil continued, Pakistan’s rupee hit an all-time low on Thursday and forex reserves fell. The central bank raised its benchmark interest rate to 2.5 percent, the biggest hike since 1996.
If Khan loses the no-confidence vote, the opposition will field a candidate for prime minister.
Sharif, the younger brother of three-time former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, said after the court’s decision that the opposition had nominated Khan to remove him from office.