Pakistan PM Imran Khan praises India's 'self-respecting nationhood'
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Islamabad: Hours before facing a no-confidence vote in parliament, Pakistan's de-notified Prime Minister Imran Khan addressed the nation on Friday, 8 April.
He also urged his supporters to stage peaceful protests across the country when the "new imported government" comes into power Sunday.
The prime minister also expressed disappointment over the Supreme Court reversing the National Assembly deputy speaker's rejection of the no-trust motion against him.
"I will not accept this imported government, I will take to street….Only people can bring me to power and I will come back with the help of the people," he said, adding that his supporters should come out on Sunday evening after the new government is expected to be set up.
He also cited the example of India as a "self-respecting nation" (khuddar qaum) to which no world power can dictate terms.
He said EU envoys had criticised Islamabad for not taking a stand against Russia, but would not dare do the same in India as it is a "sovereign nation".
He taunted the opposition to announce new elections and face the nation with him. "That is why I dissolved the assembly because I want people to elect the new government," he said.
"I am ready for the struggle… join me in peaceful protest," said Khan, who has lost his majority in the 342-member house.
The opposition parties need 172 members in the 342-member House to bring about the downfall of Prime Minister Khan. They have more than the required numbers.
Now, Khan faces the possibility of being the first prime minister in Pakistan's history to be voted out in a no-confidence motion.
In a landmark 5-0 verdict, a five-member bench headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial on Thursday unanimously struck down the deputy speaker's ruling on the rejection of the no-confidence motion against Khan and ordered the restoration of the National Assembly, saying the prime minister's move to dissolve Parliament and call early elections was "unconstitutional".
The court also ordered the speaker of the lower house to call the session of the national assembly on April 9 at 10 am (local time) to organise a no-confidence vote. It ordered the election of a new prime minister if the no-confidence motion succeeded.