On Thursday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif won the National Assembly’s vote of confidence with 180 votes in favour. The vote of confidence required 172 votes to pass in the 342 member legislature. However, due to the passing of the former minister for religious affairs, Mufti Abdul Shakoor, the total number was decreased to 341. Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto introduced the motion asking for a vote on trust in the NA.
The resolution, which was approved by 180 members, stated that “The National Assembly of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan reposes its full confidence in the leadership of Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, as the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.”
After securing the trust vote in the assembly, PM Shehbaz expressed his gratitude to Allah Almighty and the 180 members for reposing trust in him. He claimed that Pakistan was prospering before the 2018 elections and held the PTI government responsible for the economic crisis. He also blamed the compromised RTS system and manipulated election results for his party’s loss in the election. He accused former CJP Saqib Nisar of halting the recounting of votes when they challenged the results.
The PM also alleged that former PM Imran Khan dissolved two assemblies in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to create hurdles when talks with the International Monetary Fund were going on. He said that his government was importing Russian oil, and if his government had come to power as a result of foreign conspiracy, it would not have imported oil from Russia. The PM concluded by stating that his government accepts the verdict of four judges, but not of the three-member SC bench.
Political circles had opined that PM Shehbaz’s leadership was losing trust after the rejection of a money bill in the National Assembly for the release of Rs. 21 billion to conduct elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. After consulting with the ruling alliance parties, PM Shehbaz decided to take the vote of confidence, which his allies fully supported.