Pakistan: Punjab CM Pervaiz Elahi wins confidence vote amid opposition uproar

ISLAMABAD: After weeks of political turbulence in the most populous province in Pakistan, Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi proved his majority in the provincial assembly, winning the vote of confidence in the early hours of Thursday.

"There were 186 votes in favor of the resolution. Chaudhry Parvez Elahi has received a vote of confidence from the House as chief minister of Punjab," Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) tweeted.

The vote of confidence started after midnight and concluded with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) coalition showing a majority with the support of 186 lawmakers, The Express Tribune newspaper reported.

This vote was held after the Lahore High Court (LHC) ruled that the Punjab governor Baligh-Ur-Rehman had the authority to ask the chief minister to seek the trust of the house even during an ongoing session.

Earlier on Wednesday, the LHC had said that the chief minister should have the support of 186 lawmakers- the required number for being elected as the CM -- round the clock.

As many as 186 members of the provincial assembly (MPAs) voted in support of the punjab chief Minister on a resolution moved by minister Mian Aslam Iqbal and PTI leader Raja Basharat.

The News International reported that the opposition boycotted the session, claiming that the pre-requisite legal requirements were not met and that the Punjab governor's order of vote of confidence was sub judice.

After winning the vote of confidence, Elahi thanked the leaders of PTI, Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) for supporting him during today's session.

"I have full confidence in Imran Khan. I thank the members of the assembly of Tehreek-e-Insaf and Q-League. I also thank Majlis Wahdat al-Muslimeen and independent member Bilal Waraich and all the ministers," he tweeted.

"After Quaid-e-Azam, there is only one leader who is Imran Khan. Taking Imran Khan's vision forward Growing. Imran Khan who has dreamed of a new Pakistan will succeed," he said in another tweet.

He asked the PML-N party to accept defeat. "I stand with Imran Khan's vision and we have restricted thieves to their homes now," the Punjab CM was quoted as saying by The News.