Political instability looms over Pakistan as Imran Khan faces no-confidence motion
India Today
With several defections from his party in recent weeks, Imran Khan may have a tough time proving his party's majority on the floor of the House. As a result, there is a question over the survival of the government.
An intense political game is about to unfold in Pakistan in the next few days. A debate and possibly voting too, on a no-confidence motion against Imran Khan’s government in Pakistan, is scheduled to take place in Parliament on Friday, March 25. It is scheduled to be followed by a promised “million-man” pro-government rally on the streets on Sunday, March 27.
With several defections from his party in recent weeks, Khan may have a tough time proving his party's majority on the floor of the House. As a result, there is a question over the survival of the government that assumed office in August 2018 with a promise to build a “Naya Pakistan”.
Pakistan is already battling high inflation, a slowing economy, and rising external debt servicing obligations. For the cricketer-turned-politician, the challenges are many, and the time he has to tackle them seems to be running out.
If Khan fails to clear the Parliamentary hurdle this week, this will be one of many democratically-elected governments that have had to bow out before completing their full terms. In fact, in Pakistan's hitherto tentative tryst with elections and representative governments, no single leader has served a full five-year term. Yusuf Raza Gilani came the closest, with over four years of uninterrupted innings at the helm.
Nawaz Sharif served as the prime minister in three different terms, none lasting four years. Benazir Bhutto got elected twice, only to face premature sacking on both occasions. And the charges for dismissal included corruption and incompetence, among others.
An alliance of opposition parties moved a no-confidence motion against Khan’s government earlier this month, arguing that his party lost the majority in Parliament.
Data show that regime changes in many cases have been preceded by years of very tepid economic growth. The longest spell of direct military rule of 14 years in Pakistan came to an end in 1972. World Bank data show that 1971 and 1972 were among the worst years for Pakistan's economy in terms of growth.
