Daily Times

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Mahmood Khan Monday won the vote of no-confidence in the provincial assembly session. After winning the vote, Mehmood Khan said, “Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will always stand by the captain.” He claimed that the PTI MPAs had received “many offers” from the opposition ahead of the no-confidence vote, but they turned them down. Mahmood claimed that his MPAs left the opposition “disappointed”, adding that he was proud of them as they were not sell-outs, says a news report.

Expressing gratitude on Twitter, the chief minister said the vote in his favour was a vote of confidence for Imran Khan. The session presided over by Mushtaq Ghani witnessed government members in the house chanting slogans against the US and “imported government”. During the heated session, Nighat Orakzai from the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Anwar Zeb from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) exchanged bitter words. As tensions soared, CM Mahmood Khan tried to intervene as the PPP lawmaker attempted to reach Anwar Zeb’s seat. The session was later adjourned until May 10. Addressing the party’s parliamentary meeting ahead of the session, Khan stated that everyone witnessed the events that unfolded in the country in the previous days. “An imported government was imposed overnight,” he said. Khan accused the opposition of being “thieves and looters” who conspired against former prime minister Imran Khan’s regime. The provincial minister remarked that the end of Imran Khan’s government marked the beginning of a new struggle. The CM declared that “people are with us in this struggle”, confident in the belief that the PTI will return to power by a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly in the next elections. Khan urged workers to refrain from criticizing state institutions as all deserved respect.

Referring to the countrywide protests held Sunday night, Khan said people across Pakistan were coming out in favour of Imran Khan deeming the protests “historically unprecedented”.

Mahmood Khan announced that a large meeting has been planned for April 13 in Peshawar, wherein PTI Chairman Imran Khan will attend the “historic meeting”.

He urged the PTI lawmakers and workers to make the meeting a historic one in terms of turnout, “it is time to stand with the leader; we will stick with the captain till the end”.

CM Khan congratulated Bilawal Bhutto on the “old Pakistan”, claiming that his province was happy with the new one.

Earlier, the joint opposition parties Monday withdrew no-confidence motion against Mahmood Khan. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani informed the House that the joint opposition had withdrawn their no-confidence motion against the chief minister through a letter signed by opposition leaders including members provincial assembly Sardar Hussain Babak, Khushdil Khan and Sobia Shahid and addressed to the Secretary Provincial Assembly.

Speaking in the House, Parliamentary Leader of Awami National Party Sardar Hussain Babak said that the no-confidence motion was submitted to save KP Assembly from a possible dissolution in the wake of political and constitutional crisis that happened last week in Islamabad.