Trust vote in Pakistan: Opposition claims support of 196

Islamabad, Apr 09: The opposition in Pakistan has claimed the support of 196 MPs ahead of the trust vote against Imran Khan. In the 342 member assembly the magic number is 172.

Top leaders of the opposition, Shehbaz Sharif, Bilawal Bhutto and Maryam Nawaz have arrived at the National Assembly. The speaker has been asked to make supplementary agenda as part of the proceedings. Security is tight outside the national assembly.

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 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.