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Prime Minister Imran Khan looks certain to be kicked out of office by a no-confidence vote in parliament, ordered by the Supreme Court.
- Pakistan’s parliament is set to vote on a no-confidence motion moved by the opposition to remove Imran Khan as prime minister, days after he blocked a similar attempt.
- A defiant Khan says he is in a fight to protect the country’s sovereignty and has called his supporters to the streets to defy opponents determined to unseat him.
- Khan acted unconstitutionally last Sunday in blocking the no-confidence vote and dissolving parliament, the Supreme Court ruled on Thursday, ordering parliament to reconvene.
- Opposition says it has the 172 votes in the 342-seat National Assembly needed to unseat Khan, after several ruling party members and a small but key coalition partner defected.
Here are the latest updates:
Crucial parliament session starts
The crucial meeting of the National Assembly has started, with Speaker Asad Qaiser presiding over the session.
Orders of the day for the session of the National Assembly to be held on Saturday, the 9th April, 2022 at 10:30 a.m.#NASession @appcsocialmedia @PTVNewsOfficial @PTV_Parliament @demp_gov @GovtofPakistan pic.twitter.com/5l6UlSHvN8
— National Assembly of Pakistan???????? (@NAofPakistan) April 8, 2022
PTI may try to delay voting: Opposition
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Sanaullah says his party fears the government will try to delay the voting through a discussion on the alleged foreign conspiracy against Imran Khan.
“Though they (government) will try to delay, the Supreme Court ruling had make it mandatory to hold the crucial vote today,” Sanaullah told reporters.
Parliament put under tight security
Special security arrangements have been made for the crucial session of the National Assembly as security staff deny entries of those without a security pass.
Many journalists and guests of legislators who were not issued passes for Saturday’s session were denied entry into the building, local Geo TV reports.
Opposition to meet before crucial session
Legislators and leaders of various political parties have started arriving in the parliament building for the crucial session that is scheduled to start at 10:30 am local time (0530 GMT).
Before the session, the opposition parties which have moved a no-confidence motion against Imran Khan will meet to discuss their strategy in the house.
D-Day: Grand Opposition assemble here. #NoConfidenceMotionVote pic.twitter.com/DZTCRMrdtH
— Zahid Gishkori (@ZahidGishkori) April 9, 2022
Khan calls for street rallies in his support
In an impassioned televised address to the nation on the eve of a no-confidence vote in parliament, Khan urged Pakistanis – particular the country’s young who have been the backbone of his support since the former cricket star-turned-politician came to power in 2018 – to rally countrywide on Sunday night.
“All of you will have to come out on Sunday after evening prayer to protest, to peacefully protest … I again say that should never indulge in violence,” he said.
“It should be a peaceful protest.”
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