Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday won a vote of confidence in the National Assembly as the opposition members, who boycotted the session, and staged a protest outside the house.  

Khan’s party candidate in one of the senate seats in Islamabad recently suffered a shocking defeat following which the prime minister announced that he would seek a vote of confidence. According to a report in Dawn, he managed to secure 178 votes in his favor, two more than what he had earlier received after winning the 2018 elections. 

Earlier, the prime minister also held a meeting with lawmakers and sought their support in Saturday’s session. Prior to this, he has also held a meeting with Pakistan’s Army Chief Gen Qamar Javad Bajwa and ISI chief Lt Gen Faiz Ahmed Faiz.

Opposition leaders, including former prime minister Shahid Khaqqan Abbasi and PML-N leader Maryan Nawaj Sharif, and many other leaders protested outside the house, questioning Khan’s move to seek vote. 

At the same time, thousands of supporters of the ruling PTI were also there outside the house and raised the slogan in support of Imran Khan. The supporters of Khan also clashed with opposition leaders and manhandled them. 

Opposition parties also questioned the government for lack of security arrangements as they faced harassment at the hands of PTI supporters.