Pakistan ousts prime minister with no-confidence vote
Pakistan's parliament ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan with a vote of no confidence on Sunday, potentially bringing a peaceful and orderly end to a political standoff many feared would result in Khan's arrest or a military coup, Al Jazeera reports.
The vote was originally scheduled to take place a week earlier, but Khan's allies in parliament blocked the vote, and Khan attempted to call for new elections. Pakistan's Supreme Court quickly ruled the move unconstitutional and ordered parliament to reconvene. Khan's allies continued to block the vote on Saturday, leading to a tense situation that saw a prisoner van parked outside parliament.
Lawmakers needed 172 votes to unseat Khan. On Sunday, they got 174, including several members of Khan's governing coalition.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Ahead of the vote, Khan repeatedly accused the United States of plotting to overthrow him and said he would not accept an "imported government" if he lost the vote. The U.S. has denied Khan's claims.
On Monday, Pakistan's parliament is expected to elect Shehbaz Sharif, the younger brother of three-time Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, to replace Khan, according to Al Jazeera.
Khan is the first prime minister of Pakistan to be removed from office by a vote of no confidence. Since Pakistan became independent in 1947, no prime minister has completed a full five-year term.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Grayson Quay was the weekend editor at TheWeek.com. His writing has also been published in National Review, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Modern Age, The American Conservative, The Spectator World, and other outlets. Grayson earned his M.A. from Georgetown University in 2019.
-
Bari Weiss’ ‘60 Minutes’ scandal is about more than one reportIN THE SPOTLIGHT By blocking an approved segment on a controversial prison holding US deportees in El Salvador, the editor-in-chief of CBS News has become the main story
-
CBS pulls ‘60 Minutes’ report on Trump deporteesSpeed Read An investigation into the deportations of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador’s notorious prison was scrapped
-
Trump administration posts sliver of Epstein filesSpeed Read Many of the Justice Department documents were heavily redacted, though new photos of both Donald Trump and Bill Clinton emerged
-
Trump HHS moves to end care for trans youthSpeed Read The administration is making sweeping proposals that would eliminate gender-affirming care for Americans under age 18
-
Jack Smith tells House of ‘proof’ of Trump’s crimesSpeed Read President Donald Trump ‘engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election,’ hoarded classified documents and ‘repeatedly tried to obstruct justice’
-
House GOP revolt forces vote on ACA subsidiesSpeed Read The new health care bill would lower some costs but not extend expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies
-
Hegseth rejects release of full boat strike footageSpeed Read There are calls to release video of the military killing two survivors of a Sept. 2 missile strike on an alleged drug trafficking boat
-
Trump vows naval blockade of most Venezuelan oilSpeed Read The announcement further escalates pressure on President Nicolás Maduro



