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Pakistan parliament votes for Yousuf Raza Gilani to continue as PM
Opposition parties led by Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) and Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf have been demanding Gilani’s resignation after the Supreme Court judgment on 27 April.
Kunal Majumder
New Delhi
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Photo Courtesy: Press Information Department, Government of Pakistan |
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In a clear assertion of the Parliament, Pakistan National Assembly on Thursday 3 May, passed a resolution reposing confidence in Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in the wake of his conviction in the contempt of court case. Opposition parties led by Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) and Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf have been demanded Gilani’s resignation after the Supreme Court judgment on 27 April.
Sharif’s party continued to agitate for Gilani’s resignation inside the National Assembly as rest of the members voted in favour of the Prime Minister continuing in his position. The clash between PML (N) and ruling Pakistan People’s Party became apparent when earlier in the day interior minister Rehman Malik promised to prove Sharif brothers – former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif – were involved in corruption within next seven days. Malik had accused both of siphoning off public funds worth $32 million.
The confrontation between two of the biggest political parties has not just been limited to National Assembly. It was Nawaz Sharif who had petitioned the Supreme Court to look into the infamous memogate case in which President Asif Ali Zardari had allegedly requested Americans to intervene against a possible Army coup in the aftermath of Osama Bin Laden’s assassination. Memogate along with the NRO case—in which Gilani was just convicted for contempt of court—have been become major concerns for the ruling party.
Gilani’s woes are also far from over regarding the contempt issue as well. Pakistan’s Apex court has transferred the authority to the Speaker of National Assembly regarding his disqualification. On Thursday 3 May, the Speaker Fehmida Mirza promised to take a decision after the detailed order arrives. She added that the Constitution gave her 30 days to act on the issue.
Kunal Majumder is a Senior Correspondent with Tehelka.
kunal@tehelka.com
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