The Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is set to face a no-confidence vote on March 25th in the parliament after nearly a dozen of his party members defected and joined hands with the Opposition.
Opposition parties formed an alliance to file the motion against Imran Khan earlier this month, citing he had lost the parliamentary majority following the defections from his party. Khan’s popularity dipped even further as a member of his own party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), joined ranks with the Opposition. The defected members said they would vote against him.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Refuses to Resign
To the cricketer turned Prime Minister’s dismay, he does not have the army’s support either, which has chosen to remain “neutral” in this battle between the PM and his detractors. Despite the opposition, Imran Khan refuses to resign, openly rejecting the Opposition’s calls to step down before the no-confidence vote occurs in parliament.
The escape routes are quickly closing for the Pakistani PM, and if he continues to refuse to put down his resignation, it might lead to political turmoil in the nation. After the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) conference, the Pakistan Army’s top brass reportedly asked the Prime Minister to resign.
According to media reports in Pakistan, the decision to oust him was taken by General Bajwa and three other senior officials of the Army.
Imran Khan Backtracks on His Statements Ahead of the No-confidence Vote
Referring to India’s decision to purchase oil from Russia despite a sanction being put in place and despite the country’s being a member of the Quadrilateral Alliance, Imran Khan praised the Indian government for its foreign policy.
“Their policy is for the betterment of people,” he said while speaking at a public rally in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He apologised to the Pakistan Army for his own foolishness in trying to preside over the administration of a failed state.
These statements have ensured that the Prime Minister will face a crucial no-confidence vote in the Pakistan National Assembly, where his dismissal seems inevitable.
The No-confidence Vote Once Again Reaffirms that Democracy Cannot Survive in Pakistan
The Army and its Inter-Service Intelligence wing have control over every aspect of governance in Pakistan. Imran Khan’s possible dismissal will prove, once again, that democracy cannot survive in Pakistan.
In Pakistan, the most crucial element for a government to survive is having the support of the politically mighty army, and Imran Khan has committed the sin of offending this army. The ISI that helped Imran Khan remain in power is now trying to remove him.
The former cricketer stood in the way of what can be called a “routine transfer” in the Army, refusing to issue the formal notification. Although national concerns such as rapid inflation have played a part in encouraging opposition parties to promote Imran Khan’s ouster, the Prime Minister must share a part of the blame with himself as well for having made a big mess of the country’s foreign relations.
Published by – Kiruthiga K
Edited by – Kritika Kashyap
