–PM thanks coalition parties for reposing trust on him
ISLAMABAD
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday obtained the vote of confidence from the National Assembly and commanded the trust of the majority of the Lower House with 180 votes going in his favour.
A total of 172 votes were required to secure the trust vote in the assembly of 342 members. However, the death of former Minister for Religious Affairs Mufti Abdul Shakoor reduced the total number to 341.
Announcing the results, Speaker National Assembly Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said that 180 members of the house reposed complete confidence in the leadership Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto tabled the resolution seeking trust vote in the National Assembly.
The resolution, passed by 180 members, stated, ““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.”
Speaking on the occasion, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said today’s resolution reflects that Pakistan’s Parliament stands by the Constitution, democracy, supremacy of the Parliament and the Constitution as well as by the 4-3 majority decision of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif thanked the coalition parties for reposing trust in him. Taking the floor after securing the vote of confidence, he especially thanked former President Asif Ali Zardari, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Sardar Akhtar Jan Mengal, Khalid Magsi, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Amir Haider Hoti, Mohsin Dawar, Aftab Sherpao, and all the coalition leaders for their trust.
The Prime Minister said we are politicians and we always believe in negotiations to sort out differences. He said the coalition government has invited the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf for talks at the Senate of Pakistan.
He said these talks will begin on Thursday and their agenda will be simultaneous and transparent elections in the entire Pakistan. He said Pakistan is a federation comprising four federating units and holding elections in Punjab only will send negative connotations to other provinces.
Talking about the negative politics of the PTI, Shehbaz Sharif said PTI Chief Imran Khan, in connivance with former chief justice Saqib Nisar, hatched a conspiracy against Pakistan. He said the duo had ruined Pakistan’s economy and other projects like PKLI.
He said it was Saqib Nisar, who played a vital role in rigging the previous elections and paving the way for Imran Khan to come to power. He said writ of the law and the constitution cannot be established unless characters like Saqib Nisar are not brought to justice.
The Prime Minister further said that it is prerogative of the Parliament to make or amend laws and the judiciary can only interpret it. He said the judiciary cannot rewrite the constitution. He said today’s trust vote is a reflection of parliament’s will that this house stands with the majority decision of the apex court and is not ready to accept the minority judgment.
The PM went on to say that former PM Imran Khan dissolved two assemblies in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) to create hurdles when talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) were going on. “The incumbent government is importing Russian oil that will soon arrive in Pakistan,” he added.
Had he came to the government as a result of foreign conspiracy, his government would not have imported oil from Russia, he said. The PM continued by saying that “we do not accept the decision of three-member [SC} bench, we accept the verdict of four judges”.
Shehbaz Sharif also expressed the commitment to uphold the dignity and honour of the Parliament at all costs. Meanwhile, a journalist put a question to former president and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari about talks.
“Ask Bilawal,” he said. “Does the prime minister need a vote of confidence?” another question was posed to Asif Zardari. “What do we know about the news. We are faqirs. We go where we are led to,” Asif Zardari
“Are the negotiations likely to go ahead?” a journalist put a question to Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. “If I get a chance, I will talk to the media,” he replied.
