Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan called for snap elections as his no-confidence vote was called off in the National Assembly on Sunday. The World Cup winning cricket captain pounced on the opposition accusing them of trying to buy people’s support with money. 

Khan, in a televised address after the no-confidence motion was called off, said that opposition’s conspiracy to take the government down has collapsed. 

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The 69-year-old further added that all the opposition’s money has gone to waste. 

“Those who were ready with achkans (knee-length coat) and the money they spent to buy people will now go to waste. Buying people’s support with money has resulted in this (situation). Put that money into something better, for orphanages, etc,” Khan said. 

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Imran Khan was expected to lose Sunday’s vote against ab alliance of Opposition politicians in the National Assembly — including more than a dozen defectors from his own political party – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). 

Khan congratulated the nation for the no-trust motion being dismissed, saying the deputy speaker had “rejected the attempt of changing the regime [and] the foreign conspiracy”.

“The nation should prepare for the new elections,” he said, adding that the no-confidence was actually a “foreign agenda”.

Khan said he has advised President Alvi to dissolve the assembly.

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“Prepare for elections. No corrupt forces will decide what the future of the country will be. When the assemblies will be dissolved, the procedure for the next elections and the caretaker government will begin,” he said.

The PM gets a second chance to remain in power when Pakistan goes to polls within 90 days. 

Pakistan opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif, who was seen as the next PM before today, accused Khan of ‘treason’. 

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“It is nothing short of a high treason. IK (Imran Khan) has pushed the country into anarchy. Niazi & his cohort will not be allowed to go scot-free. There will be consequences for blatant and brazen violations of the Constitution. Hope SC (Supreme Court) will play its role to uphold the Constitution”, Shehbaz Sharif said.

Pakistan Peoples Party’s chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari accused the PM of “violating the constitution”. The opposition went to the Supreme Court with the matter. 

No Pakistani Prime Minister has completed a full term. Khan was elected in 2018.