By Our Web Desk
ISLAMABAD– Prime Minister Imran Khan Saturday after a set back in the Senate Election by losing Abdul Hafiz Sheikh seat ,secured the vote of confidence from the National Assembly after he got 178 votes from the House.
The Opposition parties have boycotted the session asking the government to resign immediately as it has lost the trust of the house in Senate poll on March 03.
In his ruling, NA Speaker Asad Qaiser said consequently the prime minister has obtained the vote of confidence and commands the majority of the Lower House.
The speaker announced the results amidst the thumping of desks and slogans by the members of PTI and its allied parties as well as the party supporters present in the lobbies.
On the occasion, the speaker pointed out that the PM had secured 176 votes when he was elected as leader of the House in 2018.
Earlier Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has moved a resolution pertaining to vote of confidence in Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Mohsin Dawar was the only Opposition lawmaker present in the assembly. He removed the banners placed by the government members on the benches.
After securing a vote of confidence from the National Assembly and thanking his allies and party for reposing their trust in him, Prime Minister Imran Khan lashed out at former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and former President Asif Zardari.
He blamed the Opposition leaders for the situation Pakistan currently is in and said they have been looting the country for the last 30 years and destroyed the economy.
PM Imran also repeated his criticism of the Election Commission of Pakistan for not introducing traceable ballots, which allowed “corrupt practices” in the Senate polls. “I feel ashamed at what happened in the Senate polls, yet the Election Commission is saying that the polls were fair. If these were fair elections, I wonder how bad the bad elections are.”
The prime minister then turned his guns on Opposition leaders. “Asif Zardari is powerful because he bribes people,” he said.
Criticising the PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, the premier said Nawaz ran away from the country after lying about his health.
“We were told that Nawaz Sharif was seriously ill and may die if he was not allowed to go abroad, but now we see him making speeches from London.” He said that Nawaz Sharif is scheming from London and making deals.
Repeating allegations about the two leaders’ ill-gotten wealth, the premier said: “They are extremely rich; they are so rich they don’t even know where their money is and how much of it is there.”
On PPP leader Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, the PM recalled that Gilani had refused to write a letter to the Swiss government that could have brought back money looted from Pakistan, yet “he his roaming around like Nelson Mandela.”
“Mr Speaker, just check the assets of Gilani before and after his premiership. He is the most corrupt prime minister of Pakistan,” he alleged.
The premier also said that the Opposition tried to blackmail the government on FATF legislation despite knowing that the country may be blacklisted if it failed to take appropriate measures in time.
The prime minister said the government is aware of the situation faced by the people due to inflation and that they are working extremely hard to overcome the problem.
The premier said the government has decided to introduce electoral reforms to ensure complete transparency in elections.
“Electronic voting machines will be introduced so that nobody can raise fingers on the credibility of the elections and the results will be acceptable to all,” he added.
Speaking on the floor of the house, MQM-P leader Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui reminded the premier of his promises made with the party and said the allies stood by you and now its time that their recommendations are also reflected in the decisions made by the government. “Change should not only be your slogan but your intention as well,” he said.
Siddiqui assured the prime minister of his party’s complete support for his agenda of change. “Let’s move towards a welfare state from a security state.” he concluded.
