'Welcome back to purana Pakistan': Politicians, pundits react to PM Imran's ouster

Over a month after the no-confidence motion was tabled against Prime Minister Imran Khan on March 8, members of the National Assembly finally cast their votes to make Imran Khan the first prime minister in the country's history to be ousted through a vote of no confidence.

As had been the case over the last several months, the result of the vote received a mixed response, ranging from the ecstatic to the disappointed and from the angry to the hilariously funny.

PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz tweeted that "The nightmare for my beloved Pakistan is over. Time to heal & repair."

Outgoing education minister and PTI leader Shafqat Mehmood, however, said that it was a "tragic day for Pakistan. An upright and fearless leader was targeted by known corrupt mafias and made to leave."

He expressed the hope, however, that "Imran Khan will rise again as people of Pakistan stand with him and PTI."

PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafque welcomed the nation back to "Purana [old] Pakistan".

PTI leader and Senator Faisal Javed Khan said the premier "walked out gracefully and didn't bow down".

Activist Ammar Ali Jan said that "a clumsy attempt to sabotage the constitution has been defeated," adding, however, that "the struggle for people's rights continues".

Journalist Cyril Almeida simply tweeted: "The hybrid regime is dead".

"Imran Khan sets yet another new Pak record! Becomes the first PM to be ousted through a vote of no confidence," quipped journalist Hasan Zaidi.

Lawyer Reema Omer termed it "an ignominious end to a “hybrid” project that took democracy many steps back".