Politics

Pakistan PM rallies public support ahead of no-confidence vote

Islamabad, Mar 24 (EFE).- Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan Thursday urged his supporters to join his rally over the weekend in a power show amid opposition calls for his resignation ahead of a no-confidence motion against him.

The National Assembly, or the lower house of Pakistan parliament, is meeting on Friday to table the opposition-sponsored move against the prime minister.

The house speaker will decide the day of the vote on the motion.

“Allah has ordered the Muslims in Quran that you stand with good and against evil,” the embattled Khan said in a video message.

Referring to the opposition, he said “a gang of thieves” had looted the country’s wealth for 30 years by indulging in corruption and sending money abroad.

“This gang united and put a price on the conscience of public representatives and buying them openly,” Khan said.

More than a dozen lawmakers from the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf have spoken against the government, blaming Khan for not delivering on the promises made before the elections.

The party has served them show-cause notices asking them to explain their position.

Opposition leaders have also approached Khan’s ruling coalition partners to rally support against him.

“I want the entire nation to join me on Mar.27 to send one message: that we are not with evil, we are against it,” said Khan.

Khan and his cabinet ministers have blamed the opposition to bribe their estranged lawmakers to switch allegiances.

Khan needs 172 votes for the majority in the 342-member house.

He won a vote of confidence following a surprise electoral defeat on a Senate seat in March last year.

Senate members get elected by the votes of the National Assembly members. He received 178 votes while the opposition boycotted the process. EFE

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