After weeks of political uncertainty, Pakistan's prime minister was voted out early on Sunday, causing a depreciation of the rupee and causing the central bank to raise interest rates.
After a tense session of the lower house of parliament that began on Saturday morning, a coalition of Pakistan's opposition parties gained the support of 174 members to pass a vote of no confidence against Khan.
We will bring stability to Pakistan. The leader of the opposition after the vote said there would be no revenge against anyone.
The opposition has named the scion of a leading industrial family and brother of a former prime minister as their candidate to become Pakistan's next leader.
The prime minister of Pakistan, a popular international cricket star, became the prime minister on the back of promises to reform the country. He transformed his playboy image from the 1970s and 1980s while in office and welcomed the victory of the Taliban in Afghanistan last year.
His ousting more than a year ahead of elections will come at a time of mounting economic challenges for the country. The nuclear-armed nation is in the midst of a $6 billion loan programme from the International Monetary Fund that has involved unpopular measures.
There have been warnings of unrest due to fast-rising inflation, caused in part by the effects of escalating commodity prices.
The downfall of his character was caused byHubris, erratic governance, poor economic management and intolerance of opposition, according to a former ambassador to the US and the UN who is now a political commentator.
There were reports that Pakistan's powerful army had stopped supporting the prime minister. The opposition claimed after his election that the army had influenced politicians to back him. The army officers denied the claims.
Pakistan gained independence from the British Raj 75 years ago and has been ruled by the army ever since.
The transition is full of challenges, especially managing a debt ridden and inflation-afflicted economy.
The road ahead is uncertain. The constitution won out and democracy strengthened.
Business leaders warned that the new government will face tough challenges such as popular anger at rising fuel and electricity prices.
The subsidy on fuel and electricity was announced last month by Khan in a bid to win over the public. An official in the finance ministry in Pakistan said that the International Monetary Fund had objected to the subsidies.
This is not a good time for a new leadership to take charge of Pakistan, according to the head of a leading company.
A senior opposition leader told the Financial Times that the government may announce parliamentary elections before the end of the year in order to avoid going for elections in 2023 when economic trends could make the government more unpopular.
In the past few weeks, Khan has claimed that he was the victim of a US plot to remove him after he went to Moscow to meet with Putin on the day that Russia began its invasion of Ukraine. US officials denied the claim.
Politicians close to Khan said that he planned to raise the issue at rallies in the coming days to drum up support.
Imran Khan wants Pakistan to remember him for standing up to America even at the cost of losing power.
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