Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif secured a vote of confidence from the National Assembly on Thursday, with 180 lawmakers reposing "full confidence" in his leadership as the premier, reports Dawn.
After the House reposed confidence in him, the premier spoke at length about recent orders of the higher judiciary, expressing reservations on rulings that questioned parliament's confidence in him and warned of "serious consequences".
The unexpected development came days after Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb vehemently refuted reports claiming that the premier had decided to seek a vote of confidence from Parliament.
The resolution for the trust vote, moved by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, stated: "The National Assembly of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan reposes its full confidence in the leadership of Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, as the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan."
After the resolution was moved, voting was conducted with lawmakers in favour of adopting the resolution rising from their seats.
Subsequently, NA Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf announced that 180 members of the House had risen from their seats in favour of the resolution.
"Consequently, Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has obtained the vote of confidence from the National Assembly and commands the confidence of the majority of the members of the National Assembly as prime minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan," he said amid thumping of desks by lawmakers.
After the passing of the resolution, PM Shehbaz Sharif addressed the House and thanked the lawmakers for reposing confidence in him and assured them that he would never let them down.
The premier then went on to say that Parliament's decisions were being challenged today.
"This Parliament elected me as the prime minister. If this Parliament reaches a decision after debate and obliges the government and cabinet, then it is mandatory for me to respect its decision. It is mandatory for me to stand by them," he said, vowing to stand by Parliament on its decisions.
"My government is standing with them
no matter what," he asserted.In an apparent to a Supreme Court ruling, wherein the government was barred from implementing a bill clipping the CJP's powers following its enactment, the premier said: "It is not possible that Parliament frames a law and the judiciary issues a stay order on it even before it is enforced."
He was emphatic in saying that only Parliament had the right to make and amend the Constitution.
"The judiciary does not have the right to rewrite the Constitution
This is the violation of law and Constitution that is happening today," he said, lamenting that when Parliament objected to it, it had to face "threats of contempt".Referring to another top court order, he rued that the ruling stated if "you don't abide by our orders, it means that the prime minister has lost the
of the majority of the House"."But the House has given its verdict today," he added.
In this connection, the premier also said the House "has rejected the decision of a three-member SC bench and accepted a 4-3 verdict".
PTI insists Shehbaz has lost House's confidence
Meanwhile, PTI leaders insisted that the premier had lost the confidence of the House.
PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry said the prime minister had lost the confidence of the House because the vote of 20 MNAs belonging to the PTI were not counted.
"Shahbaz Sharif has the support of only 160 members of the assembly instead of 172 members. Today's vote is a big defeat for Shahbaz Sharif and the Pakistan Democratic Movement," he added.
