ISLAMABAD—On Thursday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif obtained a vote of confidence from the National Assembly with 180 lawmakers expressing “full confidence” in his leadership as the premier. This unexpected development followed Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb’s strong denial of reports claiming that the premier had decided to seek a vote of confidence from Parliament.
Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari moved the resolution for the trust vote, which stated that 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 country. After the resolution was moved, voting took place, and lawmakers in favour of adopting the resolution rose from their seats.
Subsequently, NA Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf announced that 180 members of the House had stood in favour of the resolution, and Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif had thus obtained the vote of confidence from the National Assembly, commanding the confidence of the majority of the members of the National Assembly as the prime minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
The NA speaker added that if the late Mufti Abdul Shakoor, the federal religious affairs minister who died in a car accident earlier this month, had been present at the session, the premier would have garnered 181 votes in his support.
After the resolution was passed, PM Shehbaz Sharif addressed the House and expressed his gratitude to the lawmakers for reposing confidence in him.∎
