ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Monday congratulated his Nepal counterpart Sher Bahadur Deuba after he won a vote of confidence in parliament on Sunday, days after Supreme Court reinstated the legislature that was dissolved in May.
In a tweet, the prime minister, while congratulating Deuba, said Pakistan looked forward to further strengthening its relationship with the mountainous country and will continue to work closely with it on matters of mutual interest.
I congratulate H.E. Sher Bahadur Deuba, Prime Minister of Nepal, on winning the vote of confidence from the House of Representatives. Pakistan looks forward to further deepening its cordial ties with Nepal & would continue to work closely with Nepal on issues of common interest.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) July 19, 2021
Deuba, 75, who has held the office four times before, won 165 votes — exceeding the 136 required — with 83 votes against him, parliament speaker Agni Sapkota said.
He faces the immediate task of procuring vaccines and controlling the spread of Covid-19, which the government says has infected 667,109 people and killed 9,550.
Public health experts say an under-reporting of cases in the country means the figures could be higher.
Fewer than 4 percent of Nepal’s 30 million people have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19. More than 1.3 million people, who have had a first dose of a vaccine, are awaiting a second as the government scrambles to procure shots.
