Ahead of Sunday's No-trust Vote, Imran Khan Says Will Play Till the Last Ball

In India's neighbourhood as Sri Lanka is going through the emergency over the inflationary turmoil and widespread protests, New Delhi's another neighouring country Pakistan is facing political upheaval as the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government has been shown the door. 

Days after Opposition filed a no-trust motion against Imran Khan in the Parliament, a defiant Imran Khan on Thursday indicated that he will not resign from the post of Pakistan's prime minister despite losing the majority in the National Assembly and insisted that he will face the vote of no-confidence which would take place on Sunday.

Pakistan’s beleaguered Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday said he had been given three options: ''resignation, no-confidence (vote) or elections'' by the “establishment”, however, did not elaborate what he meant by “establishment”.

Amid the rapidly changing political developments in the country, Pakistan Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa is reported to have met Prime Minister Khan this week. It may be recalled here Pakistani Army wields considerable power in the matters of security and foreign policy.

Prime Minister Imran Khan needs 172 votes in the lower house of 342 to foil the Opposition's bid to unseat him. Since Khan's allies with 23 members are still not committed to support him and about two dozen lawmakers from within the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf have revolted, the situation was still fluid. However, Opposition claims it has the support of 175 lawmakers and the prime minister should immediately resign.

“عمران خان کے رونے کی وجہ سے ہم پاکستان کی قسمت کو خطرے میں نہیں ڈال سکتے۔
اتوار کےدن عدم اعتماد کی ووٹنگ ہے، امید کرتے ہیں کہ اس وقت تک کوئی غیر جمہوری قدم نہیں اٹھایا جائے گا۔”
چیئرمین پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی بلاول بھٹو زرداری @BBhuttoZardari
2/5 pic.twitter.com/zqxtQad5Cc

— PPP (@MediaCellPPP) April 1, 2022

If we look at the political history of Pakistan, no prime minister has ever completed a full five-year term in office. Also, no prime minister in Pakistan's history has ever been removed through a no-confidence motion, and Khan is the third Prime Minister to face the challenge.