Surprisingly, the National Assembly demonstrated their support for the prime minister by passing a vote of confidence on Thursday, with 180 votes in his favor.
Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari initiated the confidence vote.
Following securing the confidence vote from the National Assembly, he expressed his determination to never waver on the trust placed in him by the parliament, even if it meant facing potential ousting.
The prime minister pledged to maintain the dignity of the parliament. He attributed Pakistan’s current challenges to events since 2018 and criticized the previous Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf administration for causing harm to the Pakistani people. He accused the former government of gaining power through fraudulent means and implicated ex-Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar in a massive conspiracy.
The prime minister referred to a recent audio leak involving Nisar as evidence of a scheme to remove him from office. While he acknowledged the importance of respecting the judiciary’s decisions, he expressed disappointment over parliamentary decisions being questioned. He emphasized the legislature’s responsibility for law-making and criticized the Supreme Court for interpreting the government’s actions as evidence of his loss of majority.
Asserting the importance of the National Assembly’s decision, the prime minister conveyed his willingness to engage in dialogue with other political parties, despite opposition from some members. He expressed concern over separate elections in Punjab, stating that this would imply exploitation of the country. The agenda for discussions, he said, would focus on fair and simultaneous elections across the nation.
In conclusion, Prime Minister Shehbaz declared that no force could undermine the authority of the parliament.
