Pak PM Imran Khan to address nation today to seek vote of confidence

A day after suffering a setback in the Senate election, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan will address the nation at 7:30 PM on Thursday to seek a vote of confidence from the lawmakers.

The government will requisition a session of the National Assembly on Saturday for the Prime Minister to seek a vote of confidence from the lawmakers, Geo News reported.

"The [National Assembly's] session has been called for Saturday afternoon," Pakistan Information Minister Shibli Faraz said.

"The Prime Minister will address the nation today as well and another decision has been taken by him -- following consultations with senior party leaders and government allies -- that Sadiq Sanjr will be our candidate for the Senate chairman post again, keeping in mind his performance over the past two to three years," he added.

In the Senate elections, the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) secured 18 seats. However, the win was tasteless as the opposition's Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) candidate Yousuf Raza Gill defeated PTI's Hafeez Shaikh from the Islamabad general seat.

Gill defeated Shaikh by securing 169 votes.

According to a report by Geo News, the returning officer, who announced the results after counting ended in the National Assembly, said that six of the total 340 ballots cast in the National Assembly were rejected.

After the announcement of his victory in the Senate election, Gill said at a press conference, "This is the victory of democracy...The Islamabad seat was the most important seat in the Senate elections and everyone was eyeing it. [Through my win], the PDM has been victorious."

"Democracy is the best revenge. Jeya Bhutto!" said PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari in a tweet following Gill's win.

( With inputs from ANI )