Pakistan's embattled prime minister faces a tough no-confidence vote Saturday, introduced by political opponents who say they have the votes to defeat him.
A combined opposition that spans the political spectrum from the left to the radically religious says it has the 172 votes it needs in Pakistan's 342-seat Parliament to oust Prime Minister Imran Khan.
In a brief exchange in Parliament on Saturday, opposition leader Shahbaz Sharif warned against further delays. Sharif is a likely candidate for prime minister should Khan lose the vote. The opposition introduced the motion last month, accusing the prime minister of economic mismanagement that has driven up prices and interest rates.
Khan ran afoul of America, she said, because of his independence: he sharply criticized U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan and refused to allow the U.S. military to fly over its air space to carry out attacks in Afghanistan, after its chaotic departure from that country. The U.S. State Department has denied any involvement in Pakistan's internal politics. Deputy State Department spokeswoman Jalina Porter told reporters on Friday there was "absolutely no truth to these allegations."
"You have to come out to protect your own future. It is you who have to protect your democracy, your sovereignty and your independence. ... This is your duty," he said. "I will not accept an imposed government."
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