Then-Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in Beijing in February. Photo: Carl Court/Getty Images
Pakistan's Parliament has passed a no-confidence vote to remove Imran Khan as prime minister.
Why it matters: While no previous Pakistani prime minister has completed a full five-year term, the former cricket star is the first to be removed from office in a no-confidence vote, the New York Times notes.
By the numbers: The motion passed early Sunday local time in the 342-seat parliament with 174 votes — two more than was required for a simple majority, according to the Washington Post.
Driving the news: The country's Supreme Court said Thursday that a vote should go ahead after finding that Khan's ruling Pakistan Tehreek Insaf (Justice) Party's actions in blocking a no-confidence motion against him last week were unconstitutional, the BBC reports.
- Khan had seen several recent defections — notably a key ally quitting the ruling coalition, which last month cost him the majority in Parliament.
The big picture: He took office in 2018 after running as an anti-establishment politician who pledged to clear up corruption in politics. But opposition parties said he failed to achieve this, according to Al Jazeera.
- Opposition leaders also accused Khan of mismanaging the economy amid high inflation in the country, per the NYT.
What's next: Elections are due to be held within the next six months.
- Opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif, the leader of the Pakistan Muslim League party who spearheaded the campaign against Khan, was expected to become the interim prime minister, WashPost notes.
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Editor's note: This a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.