Pakistan Votes a Sitting Prime Minister Out

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan was removed from power after he lost a no-confidence vote.

• Cricketer-turned-politician-turned-Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, was voted out of his post after he lost a no-confidence vote. He held the post for close to four years.
• The opposition parties in Pakistan had moved a no-trust motion against the Prime Minister last week. Khan blocked it by dissolving the Parliament. The Supreme Court had to intervene.
• The Supreme Court of Pakistan sided with the opposition parties and called Khan’s actions to prevent this vote "unconstitutional".
• Khan has maintained, without providing any evidence, that there was a US-led conspiracy to remove him, following his policies on Russia and China that were not in favor with Washington.
• In its 75-year history, Pakistan has never had any prime minister complete their full five-year term. The Pakistani military, considered a powerful political entity, had seized power thrice.
• As Pakistan decides its next Prime Minister, rising inflation, military involvement in public affairs, violent extremism and militant attacks are still issues that worry the country.