Pakistan To Pursue Closer Ties With Russia Under New Prime Minister - Pakistani Senator

Pakistan to Pursue Closer Ties With Russia Under New Prime Minister - Pakistani Senator

The removal of Imran Khan from post of the Pakistani prime minister will not influence Islamabad's relations with Moscow, and the bilateral ties will continue strengthening, Chairman of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Committee of Senate of Pakistan Saleem Mandviwalla told Sputnik

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th April, 2022) The removal of Imran Khan from post of the Pakistani prime minister will not influence Islamabad's relations with Moscow, and the bilateral ties will continue strengthening, Chairman of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Committee of Senate of Pakistan Saleem Mandviwalla told Sputnik.

On Sunday, on the second try, the Pakistani parliament ousted Khan in a vote of no-confidence, with the motion succeeding by a vote of 174-0. On Monday, the parliament elected opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif from the Pakistan Muslim League-N as the new prime minister.

"Our relations with Russia will continue to strengthen and I feel Imran Khan not being prime minister will not affect our relations with Russia," Mandviwalla, a member of opposition Pakistan Peoples Party, said.

He also expressed confidence that the new government would perform their duties with utmost dedication, regardless of whether Khan abandons his confrontational behavior or not.

"Whether or not Imran Khan gives up his confrontational politics, I have no doubt that the new government will pursue its welfare and development agenda with full vigor," Mandviwalla added.

On April 3, the Pakistani parliament initiated a no-confidence vote to remove Khan from office. After the motion was rejected as unconstitutional, Khan asked Pakistani President Arif Alvi to dissolve the parliament. The decision to cancel the no confidence vote was challenged in court by the opposition. The Supreme Court ruled to hold the voting, with Khan saying that the opposition's motion was an attempt by foreign powers to depose him.