Imran Khan Bowled Out in a Game That Dragged Till Last Over: Timeline of Events

Imran Khan Ousted as Pak PM

(Illustration: Chetan Bhakuni)

Video Editor: Rajbir Singh

Imran Khan was ousted as Pakistan Prime Minister after he lost the dramatic no-trust vote against him. The results of the vote were declared post midnight with 174 members voting in favour of no-trust.

With several rounds of adjournments, resignations, midnight hearings and emergency meetings, the day-long drama at the Pakistan National Assembly, continued through the night. Imran Khan's 'judgement day' was no short of an OTT drama.

Imran Khan is now the first Pakistan PM to be ousted via a no-confidence motion. Here's how he got bowled out in a match that dragged till the last over: a timeline of events.

9 April 2022 | 11.00 am

The no-confidence motion against de-notified Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan began in the parliament. The proceedings saw a no-show from Khan. Foreign Minister and senior party leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi was present in the Pakistan National Assembly.

Addressing the National Assembly, Qureshi said, "It is the constitutional right of the Opposition to move a no-confidence motion against the government, and it's the government's duty to defend it."

9 April 2022 | 11.30 am

Shahbaz Sharif, leader of Opposition in Pakistan National Assembly urged the speaker to "carry out the proceedings as per the Supreme Court order."

Foreign Minister Qureshi later said, "History will expose those who have run this entire drama. The pen of the historian does not forgive anyone." And reminded that PM Imran Khan had called on the nation to decide whether they would want to live as a sovereign state or remain slaves.

9 April 2022 | 11.40 am

Pakistan's National Assembly Speaker adjourned the session till 12:30 pm. Later, for reasons unknown, the session was delayed further.

9 April 2022 | 3.15 pm

When the Pakistan Assembly session finally resumed after delay, Opposition demanded that the trust vote be held, as per the Supreme Court guideline.

9 April 2022 | 4.35 pm

The Imran Khan government reportedly filed a review petition against the Supreme Court’s verdict on the Deputy Speaker’s ruling over the no-trust motion in the National Assembly.

9 April 2022 |7.15 pm

Imran Khan announced an emergency meeting of the cabinet even as calls for the no-trust motion against him were growing louder in the assembly. The meeting, scheduled at 9:00 pm at the PM House reportedly had key decisions under consideration. The assembly was likely to continue beyond midnight.

9 April 2022 | 9.00 pm

As the cabinet meeting at Imran Khan's house started, Pakistan's Federal Minister Fawad Hussain and Foreign Minister SM Qureshi already changed their Twitter bios to 'former' minister.

(Twitter screenshot)

(Twitter screenshot)

9 April 2022 | 10.30 pm

Pakistan's National Assembly speaker finally agreed to hold the no-trust vote against Khan. He also reportedly met Prime Minister Imran Khan at the latter's house.

The Supreme Court was set to open post midnight. The Islamabad High Court opened at 10 pm, local time.

9 April 2022 | 10.50 pm

Amid rumours of Imran Khan dismissing Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Bajwa, the two reportedly met at the PM's residence.

Imran Khan later refuted the claims.

9 April 2022 | 11.00 pm

The Pakistan cabinet reiterated that PM Imran Khan will not resign amid repeated calls for conducting a no-confidence vote.

The ruling government also submitted a reference against 20 deviant members to National Assembly Speaker, as they aimed to get dissident party members unseated.

9 April 2022 | 11.45 pm

All Pakistani airports were notified to not allow government officials and lawmakers to leave the country.

With no-trust motion yet to be implemented, opposition leaders claimed Supreme Court's order was being violated.

10 April 2022 | 12.00 am

Pakistan CJI Umar Ata Bandial reached Supreme Court, opened the apex court's doors at midnight.

Amid row in assembly over delayed no-trust vote, Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan filed a plea in the top court against the government for not following the apex court's orders

10 April 2022 | 12.05 am

National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser announced his resignation, citing his duty to the nation. He said he would not take part in a foreign conspiracy aimed at ousting the prime minister.

The no-confidence vote against Imran Khan finally began with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's (PML-N) Ayaz Sadiq taking the over the responsibility of chairing the session.

10 April 2022 | 12.50 am

Even before the results of the no-trust vote were declared, at least two Cabinet ministers, Dr Shahbaz Gill and Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, took to Twitter to accepted defeat.

(Twitter screenshot)

(Twitter screenshot)

A plea was submitted in the Islamabad High Court to put Imran Khan, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, and I&B Minister Fawad Chaudhary on the exit control list, to prevent their departure from Pakistan.

10 April 2022 | 1.15 am

Pakistan Tehreekh-e-Insaf leader Faisal Javed Khan tweeted about Imran Khan leaving the PM's residence, while the no-confidence vote against him was still underway.

10 April 2022 | 1.30 am

Imran Khan lost the no-confidence vote against him in Pakistan’s National Assembly, with 174 out of 342 members in the Assembly favouring the resolution of no-trust. Khan became the first Pakistan PM to be ousted by a no-trust vote, and not by the Pakistan army.

10 April 2022 | 1.35 am

"Congratulations to Pakistan and this House. Welcome back to purana Pakistan," PPP leader Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said, taking a jibe at Imran Khan's 'Naya Pakistan' election campaign.

"We will not take any revenge, or put any innocent people in jails. But law will take its course. This is a day to smile," said Leader of Opposition and frontrunner for the next Pakistan PM post, Shehbaz Sharif said in the assembly shortly after the results were announced.

Soon after, the National Assembly was adjourned. The assembly will reconvene on 11 April at 2 pm to elect a new prime minister.

Hours after the ousting of Imran Khan, Shehbaz Sharif has been nominated as Pakistan's prime ministerial candidate for the joint opposition