Fawad Chaudhry Says PTI MNAs to Resign En Masse to Object to Sharif's Nomination
Catch all the live updates on the political developments in Pakistan after Imran Khan was voted out as PM here.
Imran Khan.
(Photo: Altered by The Quint)
Senior PTI leader and former Minister of Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry announced on Sunday, 10 April, that PTI Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) would resign en masse on Monday.
"If our objections on Shehbaz Sharif's [nomination] papers are not addressed then we will resign tomorrow," Chaudhry told reporters in Islamabad, according to Dawn.
Meanwhile, in his first reaction since the no-trust vote that ousted him, former Prime Minister Imran Khan has tweeted about the "freedom struggle" beginning again.
"Pakistan became an independent state in 1947; but the freedom struggle begins again today against a foreign conspiracy of regime change," he wrote on Twitter on Sunday.
Hours after his overthrow, Shehbaz Sharif of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (Khan's party) were nominated as prime ministerial candidates, ARY NEWS reported on Sunday.
Khan lost the no-confidence vote against him with 174 members favouring the no-confidence resolution
National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser and Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri resigned before the no-trust vote on Saturday night
The Supreme Court of Pakistan had opened its doors at midnight, given the uncertainty surrounding the vote
"Welcome back to purana Pakistan", PPP leader Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said after the vote's results were declared
Khan, late last night, denied local media reports claiming that he may sack General Bajwa after meeting him
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Nightmare for Pakistan is Over, Time to Heal: Maryam Nawaz Sharif
Maryam Nawaz Sharif, vice-president of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), expressed relief on 10 April after Imran Khan-led government lost the no-confidence motion in the National Assembly.
Islamabad HC Hears Plea to put Imran, Ex-Ministers on Exit Control List
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) will on Monday hear an application requesting for placing the names of the former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his ministers on the Exit Control List (ECL) and ordering an investigation into an alleged threat letter.
The application was filed by Maulvi Iqbal Haider, who requested the IHC to place the names of Khan, Fawad Chaudhry and Shah Mehmood Qureshi, former deputy speaker Qasim Suri and Asad Majeed on the ECL, reports The News International.
He also requested the court to issue an order for an inquiry against the former premier and the ministers regarding the alleged threat letter.
Khan Becomes First PM to be Voted Out of Power
With Saturday night's vote, Khan, like all the 21 Pakistan PMs who came before him, got ousted before he could complete a five-year term.
This was, however, the first time that a Pakistani prime minister got voted out by his own parliament.
'Absolutely No Truth' in Khan's 'Foreign Conspiracy' Claims: US
The US State Department has stated that there's "absolutely no truth" in Imran Khan's claim that the US has masterminded a conspiracy to overthrow his government.
Khan has been consistently referring to the parliamentary revolt against him as a "foreign conspiracy".
A few days ago, he had even named Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu as the US diplomat allegedly involved in the "foreign conspiracy" to oust him.
Opposition Nominates Shehbaz Sharif as Next PM
Shehbaz Sharif of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has been nominated as Pakistan's PM candidate for the joint opposition, ARY News reported on Sunday.
He will contest unopposed if no other nominations are submitted to the Secretary of the National Assembly.
"We will not take any revenge, or put any innocent people in jails. But law will take its course," the Leader of Opposition had said in his speech to the Assembly right after the results of the no-trust vote were declared.
PTI Nominates Shah Mahmood Qureshi for PM
Imran Khan's party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, has nominated former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi as its prime ministerial candidate, according to ARY News.
Qureshi, ahead of the no-trust vote, had added "former" to his Twitter bio that had initially said "Foreign Minister of Pakistan".
ISPR Calls BBC Urdu's Report a 'Pack of Lies'
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), which is the media and PR wing of the Pakistan Armed Forces, has rejected a BBC Urdu report about the events in Imran Khan's residence which sparked rumours that he was sacking General Bajwa.
The ISPR, in a statement, has called the report "baseless and a pack of lies."
"The propaganda report has not cited any credible, verified or relevant source," the statement added.
Nomination Papers of Sharif & Qureshi Being Examined
The nomination papers of Shehbaz Sharif (of the PML-N) and former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi (of the PTI) are reportedly being examined.
Sharif has said that the Panama Papers case against his brother, former PM Nawaz Sharif, will proceed as per the law.
Additionally, he asserted that India-Pakistan relations will not be normal until the Kashmir issue is resolved.
Imran Khan Reacts for the First Time After Ouster
In his first reaction since the no-trust vote that ousted him, former Prime Minister Imran Khan has tweeted about the "freedom struggle" beginning again.
"Pakistan became an independent state in 1947; but the freedom struggle begins again today against a foreign conspiracy of regime change. It is always the people of the country who defend their sovereignty & democracy," he wrote.
Deputy Speaker Did Not Resign, NA Secretariat Clarifies
The National Assembly Secretariat clarified on Sunday, 10 April, that contrary to what was reported just before the no-trust vote, Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri did not resign from his post.
National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaisar, however, had indeed resigned ahead of the no-trust vote.
Suri, on the other hand, did not resign and will chair the National Assembly session on Monday, 11 April, ARY News reported.
Fawad Chaudhry Says PTI MNAs to Resign en Masse
Senior PTI leader and former Minister of Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry has announced that PTI Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) would resign en masse on Monday, 11 April.
PTI members had raised objections to Sharif's filing of nomination papers.
"If our objections on Shehbaz Sharif's [nomination] papers are not addressed then we will resign tomorrow," Chaudhry told reporters in Islamabad, according to Dawn.
Raid on House of Khan's Focal Person on Digital Media
The home of Dr Arslan Khalid, Imran Khan's focal person on digital media, was allegedly raided in Lahore (Wapda Town area) by 11 unidentified men a few hours after the no-trust vote ended on Sunday.