The vote on the no-confidence motion against [former] Prime Minister Imran Khan came to conclusion on April 10, in which 174 members of the National Assembly voted against the premier. The session, beginning on April 9, lasted more than 12 hours, and saw lengthy speeches from the treasury benches, a letter to the NA speaker reminding him of contempt of court, the speaker’s resignation, and finally the vote.
Here is a timeline of the no-confidence motion from when it first came under discussion last year.
- 7th November 2021
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Punjab President and former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf believes that his party could convince the opposition parties to bring a vote of no-confidence against Prime Minister Imran Khan.
- 28th November 2021
PPP leader Khurshid Shah indicated a change in the house. He hinted that the numbers would be equalized soon paving the way for a no-confidence motion.
- 24th December 2021
PML-N leader Ayaz Sadiq again indicated that the opposition could bring a no-trust motion in the House. He said that people in the PTI ranks would leave the government themselves as they were unsatisfied.
- 11th January 2022
PML-N leader Khawaja Asif said that the government had lost the confidence of the house. He called for a change to be brought in the parliament but did not elaborate if the opposition was preparing to oust the government. However, he said that a decision would be made soon.
- 18th January 2022
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, while responding to a question at a media talk said, that bringing a change in the Senate will not be enough to change the government. He said it was crucial to send Prime Minister Imran Khan home in order to bring the public out of crisis.
- 21st January 2022
PML-N leader Ayaz Sadiq disclosed that the opposition had been preparing to bring forth the no-confidence motion in the parliament. But the time and day of the move needed to be decided.
- 7th February 2022
PML-N and PPP officially begin negotiations on the no-trust motion. PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif said that there were two opinions on the matter initially but under the leadership of the PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, we have largely agreed to bring the no-confidence in the house. He said that both parties were in agreement that the government needed to be sent home at the earliest.
- 8th February 2022
Both parties officially start work on the no-confidence. PML-N approached MQM-P and presented the option of the no-trust motion. MQM-P leader Amir Khan said that he will present the matter before the party’s ‘raabta committee’.
- 8th February 2022
MQM-P approaches government ally PML-Q regarding the matter. PML-Q leader Parvez Elahi said that things were developing and once they take shape will we take a decision. Government allies indicated to the ruling PTI party which dismissed the claims saying nothing would come out of the oppositions’ move.
- 11th February 2022
PDM Chief Fazl-ur-Rehman announced that his opposition alliance had decided to bring the no-confidence vote against the government in parliament. Government once again dismissed the matter and instead taunted the opposition that it’s plan would fail.
- 14th February 2022
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that the government would tackle the no-confidence motion politically and will defeat them. He also went on to say that the ‘umpire’, in this case, was neutral and did not favor any side over the other.
- 22nd February 2022
Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed challenged the government to bring the required number of 172 votes in the parliament. He said that the opposition would be in a tough spot if it brought the no-confidence motion and would suffer at its result as well. He claimed that Prime Minister Imran Khan would be vindicated from this political battle.
- 23rd February 2022
The day PM went to Russia: Defense Minister Parvez Khattak confidently proclaimed that the government was ready to face the vote of no-confidence. He said that it was not child’s play to bring the motion of no-confidence against them. He said that the opposition had merely created an over-hyped drama with no substance behind it.
- 8th March 2022
The united opposition front submitted the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan. They claimed the government’s days were numbered and that nothing could save them. Meanwhile, government claimed that that they will thwart the opposition’s attempt to oust the premier.
- 12th March 2022
Planning Minister Asad Umar said that allies PML-Q and MQM-P were supporting the government in the no-trust motion. He claimed the allies had given clear statements in the regard.
- 14th March 2022
PTI Central Punjab President Imtiaz Safdar Warraich announced to rejoin PPP according to local media.
- 17th March 2022
24 PTI lawmakers announce that they would not follow the party line in the National Assembly. Dissidents disclosed that at least 24 MNAs were staying at the Sindh House in Islamabad.
- 18th March 2022
PTI workers storm Sindh House in protest against dissenting members of PTI. They attack and storm the building but police arrive and takes away the attackers.
- 18th March 2022
Opposition calls on PM Khan to resign saying he had lost the majority after PTI lawmakers announced they will not follow the party line. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari alleged lawmakers had been threatened with violence, arrests, consequences if they vote against PTI.
- 19th March 2022
PTI issues show-cause notices to dissenting lawmakers for joining the opposition parties. PTI reminded dissidents they were bound to follow the party directions as its members.
- 20th March 2022
National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser summons NA session on March 25 at 11:00am at the opposition’s request. Decision comes a day after opposition slammed government of delaying the session using OIC session as excuse.
- 25th March 2022
NA session held but adjourned before tabling of the no-trust motion. Move irks opposition who protest the delay and PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif writes to NA Speaker expressing reservations.
- 26th March 2022
PTI approaches PML-Q but no progress made towards appealing to them. Same day Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry hopes dissenting members would join back.
- 27th March 2022
PTI holds power show in Islamabad. Blasts opposition and waves around “threatening letter” terming no confidence move an international conspiracy.
- 28th March 2022
Opposition submits no-trust motion against Usman Buzdar in Punjab as PM offers Punjab CM seat to Parvez Elahi. Elahi thanks him and says would perform duty diligently.
- 29th March 2022
Estranged PML-Q leader Tariq Bashir Cheema, stepped down as minister for housing announcing to support opposition in no-trust move.
- 30th March 2022
Imran Khan terms no-trust as foreign conspiracy again. Premier said that the letter stated that Pakistan would face serious consequences if the no-confidence motion failed, adding that the language of the letter was extremely harsh and that the no-trust motion had been mentioned in it several times.
- 3rd April 2022
The president dissolves the National Assembly following a request by the Prime Minister. During his address to the nation after the National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri termed the no-confidence motion unconstitutional, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that he had requested the president to dissolve the assembly and to go for election in the country.
- 7th April 2022
The Supreme Court, through a unanimous verdict, declares the National Assembly deputy speaker’s ruling to reject the no-confidence vote against the prime minister unconstitutional. The Supreme Court also declares the advice to the president for dissolution of the National Assembly and the subsequent dissolution of the lower house as unconstitutional.
- 10th April 2022
In a session that began on 9th April, lasted more than 12 hours and saw the National Assembly speaker’s resignation, 174 members of the lower house voted against the prime minister, leading to the ouster of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led government.
