Former World Cup-winning cricketer-turned-politician, Imran Khan, was removed as Prime Minister of Pakistan after he lost a no-confidence vote in parliament. Imran Khan's inability to curb inflation in Pakistan and a rift between his government and the military were the two primary reasons for his ouster from the office of Pakistan PM.
Khan became the first Pakistani PM in history to be removed through a no-confidence vote. The motion against Imran Khan's government was passed by 174 votes in parliament, two more than the designated majority. This formality went on till the early hours of Sunday after weeks of political turmoil with Khan alleging an America-backed foreign conspiracy to pull him out of office.
On the other hand, the opposition parties, along with some allies of Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) came together to defeat the cricketer-turned-politician.
In this article, we look at the four important people, who were responsible for removing Khan from office.
1. Shehbaz Sharif: The brother of former President, Nawaz Sharif, and the current chief of the Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N), Shehbaz, is one of the prominent faces waiting in the wings to become the next premier of Pakistan until the next elections in October 2022.
The 70-year-old is also a former chief minister of Punjab state and one of the few having a political base in Pakistan despite staying in exile in England. He is known for his unique way of delivering his speeches in a form of outbursts. He also quotes famous shayaris in his speeches.
Shehbaz Sharif was one of the biggest critics of Imran Khan and was monumental in Khan's ouster. Some of Shehbaz Sharif's iconic moments below:
2. Asif Ali Zardari: The man, who rose to politics after the death of his wife, Benazir Bhutto in 2008 was also one of the important persons behind Khan's exit. Asif Ali had a charming persona and was understood to have carried a 'playboy' image for a long time.
He had become the President of Pakistan with the help of PML-N after the death of Benazir Bhutto. His regime is remembered by analysts to be scavenged by corruption scandals. The 67-year-old is said to have run a corrupt government in his tenure.
3. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari: The son of Benazir Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari, Bilawal has been in active politics since he was 17 after his mother was assassinated. He was Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP) candidate. Many claim him to be the ultimate symbol of privilege and nepotism. However, his social media savvy persona is attracting younger voters. He has voiced out for women's rights.
Bilawal is usually made fun of due to his unusual accent of Urdu. He is an Oxford graduate.
4. Maulana Fazlur Rahman: Once an Islamist hardliner, Rahman has now become more accommodative of secular parties. His Jamiatul Ulema-e-Islam (F) has the ability to mobilise thousands through his madrasas.
He had fundamental problems with the ex-Pakistan PM about his lifestyle, especially about Khan marrying a Jew.
These were the four important critiques of the former Pak PM who played a significant role in Imran Khan's ouster . If you think it any more significant ones remaining that can be added in the list only once, do let us know in the comments.