Imran Khan, Pakistan’s Prime Minster has been ousted following a late night vote of no confidence from members of the Parliament including members of his own party. As fears grow that the political crisis could lead to chaos in Pakistan, Imran Khan is now out.
The cricketer-turned-Islamist and his political allies earlier tried to sidestep the crunch vote by dissolving parliament and calling early elections, but Pakistan’s Supreme Court sensationally ruled that the government had acted illegally.
Pakistan’s parliament met to continue with voting after a 13-hour standstill in which Khan’s Tehreek–e-Insa party tried filibustering.
As opposition parties surged in to take over, several of Prime Minister David Cameron’s close allies as well as a major coalition party left him.
A coalition of opposition from all political sexes, including the left and the religiously oriented, will make up the government. The head of Pakistani Muslim League (one of the biggest parties) will be the prime minister.
Khan supporters and opponents marched down the streets. Several people were seen being taken into custody after clashing in the capital with the police late Saturday night. This was part of the ongoing protest against Khan’s demise.
Khan’s demise from office is another in a long line of poor records Pakistan has with Prime Ministers. Not a single one have completed their five-year terms since 1947.
On Friday, the scandalous politician repeated the absurd claim that his enemies colluded to overthrow him. This was after he visited Putin’s Russia in the aftermath of the invasion.
Khan encouraged his followers to go out on the streets. He was particularly concerned about young people, who were his main supporter since Khan’s rise to power as a conservative Islamist politician and former cricket star.
Thousands appeared to heed his call with his allies turning out to the streets of Islamabad in droves as protests against the no-confidence vote threatened to turn ugly on Saturday.
Imran Khan, the Prime Minister of Pakistan has been reelected after a dramatic no-confidence vote cast by his MPs late at night.
Pakistan’s parliament met to continue with voting after a 13-hour standstill in which Khan’s Tehreek–e-Insa party tried filibustering.
After weeks of uncertainty and legal problems, the No-confidence Vote has caused a political crisis in the country that could lead to chaos.
An angry woman struggles with the police during protests in Islamabad. Members of the public are trying to come to terms about Imran Khan’s loss of confidence vote
Islamabad Police arrested supporters of the former PM Imran Khan on Saturday night
Following a call for protests by the exiled former prime Minister, police detained Khan’s supporters at Tehreek-e Insaf outside Islamabad’s parliament building.
Police detain a woman who attends demonstrations in Pakistan’s capital following Imran Khan’s defeat.
Together, they will form the new government with the leader of Pakistani Muslim League, one of the most powerful parties in the country, as prime minister. Pictured: Saturday night saw both ends of the political spectrum clash in public.
Supporters of Opposition Parties chant slogans outside Islamabad’s parliament house late Saturday night.
Tehreek e-Insaf Party’s Pakistani political supporters take to the streets in support of the former Prime Minister
Bowled out: Pakistani cricketer and PM Imran Khan is resigned
Imran Khan was a skilled cricket player who became a leader of Pakistan.
Following a no confidence motion and dissolution of parliament, Sunday’s dismissal saw the resignation of Prime Minister, 69 years old.
His action was declared illegal by the Supreme Court on Thursday.
Although he had received genuine support from the public when he was elected premier in 2018, critics claim he failed to live up to his promises of a revitalized economy and better lives for the poor.
Imran Khan was an outstanding captain on the Pakistani side
Khan’s Tehreeke-e-Insaf, (PTI) was chosen by the millions who had seen him playing cricket as a child. There, he excelled at all rounder and captained Pakistan towards victory in 1992.
PTI overthrew decades of Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP), and Pakistan Muslim League-N(PML-N), which were two often feuding organizations that joined hands to expel him.
Khan’s vision for Pakistan was to create a welfare system based on the Islamic golden era of the 7th-14th centuries. This period saw cultural, scientific, and economic flourishing throughout the Muslim world.
However, he failed to make significant progress towards improving Pakistan’s finances, with a galloping inflation, crippling loans, and an inefficient rupee, all of which undermine economic reform.
His watch also saw the security situation worsen, especially since last year’s return of Taliban to power in Afghanistan.
Two sources claimed that Khan met with General Qamar Javed Bjwa, the powerful head of the army, to vote. However, there was widespread criticism about the delays in the parliamentary process.
Asad Qaisar (lower house speaker), a member Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf political party, announced his resignation. This increased the drama within the chamber.
He said, “The priority must be for the national interest.”
Khan received genuine support from the public when he was elected premier in 2018. However, critics claim that he has not lived up to his promises of a revitalized economy and better lives for the poor.
He was supported by his Tehreek e-Insaf, a party that millions of viewers who watched him play cricket voted for.
PTI ended decades of control by Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N), two groups usually at odds who joined forces to overthrow him.
Khan’s vision for Pakistan was to create a welfare system based on the Islamic golden era of the 7th-14th centuries. This period saw cultural, scientific, and economic flourishing throughout the Muslim world.
He did not make any progress in improving Pakistan’s financial condition, which was characterized by high inflation and crippling debt, as well as a weak rupee that undermined economic reform.
His watch also saw the security situation worsen, especially since last year’s return of Taliban to power in Afghanistan.
Khan, the Oxford-educated child of wealthy Lahore families, was a well-known playboy up until his retirement from international cricket.
He spent years working on charity projects and raised millions of dollars to help his mom’s cancer hospital.
He slipped into politics, and held for many years the PTI’s sole parliamentary seat.
However, the party experienced a tremendous growth period under the military-led government led by General Pervez Musharraf. It became a real force at the 2013 elections and won a majority of seats five years later.
However, running the country was harder than sitting in opposition.
The cost of basic goods has risen by double-digits due to inflation. While the economy will grow four percent in 2018, it was stagnant the past three years.
Pakistan was also forced to take out large amounts of money to cover its $130 billion foreign debt.
Khan’s fall has been aided by the volatile security situation, exemplified at the border by the Taliban’s support in mid August.
In the beginning, victory for hardline Islamists was seen both as victory for Pakistan (long accused of supporting them) and for an official referred to as “Taliban Khan” for his constant advocacy for dialogue and critical US policies towards Kabul.
Even though Kabul promised that Afghan soil would never be used to support such attacks, the Taliban in Pakistan and other militant groups (IS-K and Baloch) have been increasing their violence.
After Pakistani MPs declared that they were losing confidence in Imran Khan, Imran Khan was forced to resign from his office.
Khan’s supporters are seen putting a woman in a car while Khan’s supporters walk down the streets of Islamabad on Saturday night.
Khan and his allies, aged 69, had tried to stop last week’s motion by calling for an immediate election, dissolving parliament, and trying to block it. Pictured Thursday: Khan’s supporters at Islamabad
Pictured: Pakistani opposition party supporters celebrating the Supreme Court’s ruling Thursday, April 7.
The plotting of the wings: Pakistan’s PM was ousted by key players
Shehbaz Sharif:
Leader of the opposition Shehbaz Sharif
Shehbaz, the brother of Nawaz Sharif (three-time Prime Minister) – is now disqualified to run for office again. He is currently exiled in Britain. Khan is his main rival.
Although the 70-year-old has been a political powerhouse in his own right, he also served as chief minister for Punjab, which was their family’s power base. Now, he is president of Pakistan Muslim League-N.
Asif Ali Zardari:
Asif Ali Zardari
Zardari, who was from wealthy Sindh families, aged 67, is best known for his playboy lifestyle. However, an arrangement marriage led him to Benazir Benazir, shortly before becoming Prime Minister for the first-time.
With enthusiasm, he took up politics, earning him the nickname “Mr Ten Percent”, for the cut that he claimed a government contract paid. Although he was never tried, ten percent were twice in jail on corruption, drug-smuggling, and murder charges.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari:
Bilawal Bhutto Zadari (33), an Oxford educated, is considered a pioneer.
Zardari, who is considered political royalty after becoming the chairman of PPP at age 19, was assassinated by his mother.
He is 33 years old and an Oxford educated.
Bhutto is loved by the youth of Pakistan, with more than half the population below 22 years old. However, he is often mocked because he does not know Urdu, Pakistan’s national language.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman:
Muslim cleric Rehman, who started his political career as an Islamist firebrand hardliner in the Islamic faith, has since softened his public profile
Although he started out as a radical Islamist hardliner in the Islamist movement, the Muslim clergyman has steadily lowered his public image and has forged alliances with secular parties from both the right and left.
Jamiatul Ulema-e-Islam’s (F) party is capable of mobilizing tens to thousands of madrassa student members. It never gets enough support to be in power, but it often plays a central role in any government.
Khan’s animosity runs deep. Khan calls Khan a ‘Jew’ to refer to his previous marriage to Briton Jemima Silversmith.
Pakistan’s army holds the key to power and analysts believe Khan may have lost their support. Both sides dispute these claims.
Khan’s attempts to make Pakistan a major non-aligned region player have also been successful.
Khan charged Washington with working with the opposition in order to bring about regime change, causing a breakup of relations with the United States.
Islamabad is closer to China than it was previously, even though important work on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has slowed.
He was also closer to Russia and angered the West when he continued a visit with Moscow the day after the invasion of Ukraine.
Khan was able to see relative success in domestic affairs.
His efforts to bring Pakistan through the Covid-19 epidemic relatively unscathed are credited. A free universal health program he created is gradually being implemented across Pakistan.
Khan often rails against Western permissiveness. He has caused outrage among rights group by repeatedly linking the act of rape to how women dress in patriarchal countries where violence towards sexuality is rampant.
Bushra, who was married three times before getting divorced, is from a conservative background and wears a veil when she goes out in public.
He is often described as being impatient and brash. His political struggles are frequently described using cricket analogies.
“I will fight until the last ball,” he said. He said last week that no matter the outcome, “I will not quit,” in an address to nation. His resignation was announced Sunday.
The 69-year-old cricketer turned PM lost his majority of parliament votes last week to his opposition. On Sunday, the opposition was expected to take him out.
Khan’s member and deputy speaker in parliament stopped the motion. Khan had been widely predicted to lose it. Khan claimed the vote was part the US conspiracies to impeach him. Washington strongly denies any involvement.
This had caused a constitutional crisis in the nation that is nuclear-armed and has been ruled by the military for nearly half of its history. Shehbaz Sharif, the opposition leader, called the blocking of the election ‘nothing but high treason.
Dawn newspaper published an editorial saying, “The nation is shocked.”
‘Even though the media and political pundits predicted the defeat of Mr Imran Khan in the vote for no-confidence, he appeared unperturbed.
“No one could have predicted that his final ploy would be to burn down the democratic order.”
On Twitter, the largely ceremonial head state of Pakistan, President Arif alvi, stated that Khan will remain in his role as Prime Minister and act as a Caretaker.
Khan would like a general election in 90 days. However, the country’s electoral committee has already rejected his request.
According to the Prime Minister, he was not unconstitutional and called the plot against him an American conspiracy. Washington has denied this claim.
Khan claims he is able to show evidence of US involvement in no-confidence motion. However, local media reported that it was only a letter sent by Pakistan’s Ambassador following briefings with senior US officials.
According to political analysts, the military initially viewed Khan’s conservative and nationalist agenda favorably after he was elected in 2018, but then cooled toward him due to various disputes.
Although the military has denied any involvement in civil politics, the generals would not stand by if political chaos were threatening the country’s core interests or they felt it was damaging to the country.
Khan led Pakistan’s winning cricket team in 1992 World Cup. He was elected Pakistan’s prime Minister in 2018.
His promises to eradicate corruption and revive the economy got him elected as third party in Pakistan’s political system.
Four years later, many people feel that he is no longer able to deliver. This can be attributed to the rising cost of living.
Khan addressed the nation after the dissolution, saying: “I have written the President to dissolve all the assemblies.
“Elections should be held in democratic manner. “I call on the Pakistanis to get ready for elections.
I congratulate each Pakistani for the decision of the speaker. We were being conspired against by the foreigners through this no confidence motion.
“The people should choose who they want to govern.” It is not the people in power who are corrupt and conspire with other powers. Preparation for elections. It will be you who decides.
Pakistan’s powerful military or the top court has been known to intervene in times of turmoil that threatens its democratically elected government.
Although the military is not speaking out about the current crisis, Gen. Qamar Javed Bjwa, army chief, told an Islamabad security summit that Pakistan wanted good relations with China (a key investor) and the United States (the country’s biggest export market).
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari (chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party) accused the government for violating the constitution in not allowing the vote to be voted on.
He stated that the ununified Opposition would stage a “dharna” – an act of discord by refusing leave from a particular place – within the National Assembly.
He added, “Our lawyers have already reached the Supreme Court.”
‘We call on all institutions to protect, uphold, defend & implement the constitution of Pakistan.’
Pakistan has had a 75-year-old history that saw no Prime Minister serve for a complete five-year term. The trend was extended on Sunday by Imran Khan’s defeat, which led to a no confidence vote.
Pakistan is a democratic parliamentary country that has been in existence for the majority of its history. Since 1947 it had 29 prime minsters, one of which was elected twice within a year.
There have been 18 instances when they were expelled on different grounds. These included corruption charges and military coups. There was only one assassination.
As caretakers, they were able to watch over new elections or see to the end of the tenure of a deposed premier.
1995 was a turbulent year, with five major changes to the premiership.
Kha’s successor must still deal with the problems that led to the ex-cricketing hero being kicked out of office.
Militancy is increasing in Pakistan, where the Taliban are encouraged by the return of Afghanistan’s hardline Islamist group last year to power.
The rupee is now at a record low and Pakistan remains in debt.
The tensions rose when Sharif demanded a vote immediately. This was ordered by the Supreme Court Thursday. Khan loyalists, however, requested discussion about their leader’s allegations of foreign interference.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Foreign Minister accused of leading the country on a dangerous course.
History will reveal all the people who made the circumstances for the attempt to topple the government’s rule, he stated, leading to the opposition’s chants of “vote! vote!”
Khan claims he was the victim of an American conspiracy to’regime-change’.
According to him, the PMLN and Pakistan Peoples Party were two feuding dynastic parties who conspired to overthrow him. This was because he opposed US foreign policies in Muslim countries like Iraq and Afghanistan.
He accused the opposition as well of purchasing support for the assembly through ‘open horses-trading…selling of legislators like goats or sheep’.
It is still uncertain how long the next government will last.
While the opposition had stated that they would like an early election, (which must take place by October 2020), taking power allows them to establish their own agenda and put an end to the string of investigations Khan claimed was a vindictive attack on them.
According to local media, an official of the election commission stated that it would take at most seven months for them to prepare for a nationwide vote.
Although the public seems to think that the military is not involved in the current conflict, there have been at least four coups and more than 30 years of country rule by the army.