In a dramatic turn of events in our neighbouring country, the Pakistan National Assembly Speaker dismissed the no-trust motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday, citing a security threat.
In a subsequent address to the nation, PM Khan said that he had written to the president asking for fresh polls and the dissolution of the national assembly.
Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri junked the no-confidence motion against PM Khan terming it ‘unconstitutional’. Suri was in chair after the Opposition submitted a no-confidence motion against the National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser just hours before the voting was to take place.
Opposition leader Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), accused the government of violating the Constitution and added that their lawyers were on their way to the Supreme Court.
He tweeted “Government has violated constitution. did not allow voting on no confidence motion. The united opposition is not leaving parliament. Our lawyers are on their way to Supreme Court. We call on ALL institutions to protect, uphold, defend & implement the constitution of Pakistan.”
Supreme Court formed a special bench
According to reports, the Pakistan Supreme Court has formed a special bench to hear the opposition’s pleas opposing the deputy speaker’s decision to reject the no-trust motion. The opposition had claimed support of 176 MNAs, above the number for a majority in the 342-member house.
Pakistani media reports said Ayaz Sadiq of the PML(N) was designated as ‘speaker’ by the opposition. Maryam Nawaz Sharif, daughter of PML(N) supremo Nawaz Sharif, described Imran as a “crazy and obsessive person”. She tweeted if he was not punished “then the law of the jungle will prevail in this country after today”.
Shehbaz Sharif, Nawaz’s brother and leader of opposition in the National Assembly, described Imran’s action as “nothing short of a high treason”. Shehbaz tweeted “IK has pushed the country into anarchy. Niazi & his cohort will not be allowed to go scot-free. There will be consequences for blatant & brazen violation of the Constitution. Hope SC will play it’s role to uphold the Constitution.”
National Assembly dissolved
Earlier in the day, Pakistan President Arif Alvi dissolved the National Assembly on the advice of PM Khan. Supreme Court of Pakistan took a suo motu notice of the situation the country.
Addressing the nation after the dismissal of no-confidence motion in Parliament, Khan also asked for fresh elections. “I call upon the people of Pakistan to prepare for elections,” Khan said. Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib has said that elections will be held within 90 days.
He tweeted “Government has violated constitution. did not allow voting on no confidence motion. The united opposition is not leaving parliament. Our lawyers are on their way to Supreme Court. We call on ALL institutions to protect, uphold, defend & implement the constitution of Pakistan.”
According to reports, the Pakistan Supreme Court has formed a special bench to hear the opposition’s pleas opposing the deputy speaker’s decision to reject the no-trust motion. The opposition had claimed support of 176 MNAs, above the number for a majority in the 342-member house.
Pakistani media reports said Ayaz Sadiq of the PML(N) was designated as ‘speaker’ by the opposition.
Maryam Nawaz Sharif, daughter of PML(N) supremo Nawaz Sharif, described Imran as a “crazy and obsessive person”. She tweeted if he was not punished “then the law of the jungle will prevail in this country after today”.
Shehbaz Sharif, Nawaz’s brother and leader of opposition in the National Assembly, described Imran’s action as “nothing short of a high treason”. Shehbaz tweeted “IK has pushed the country into anarchy. Niazi & his cohort will not be allowed to go scot-free. There will be consequences for blatant & brazen violation of the Constitution. Hope SC will play it’s role to uphold the Constitution.”
Hours after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan got the National Assembly dissolved, former interior minister Sheikh Rasheed said the former cricketer-turned-politician will remain in power for another 15 days.
“I met the Prime Minister and I think Imran Khan will remain Prime Minister for 15 more days,” he said. He also added that Khan was stressing that elections were the right way forward amid the current political turmoil.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan’s army said it was not involved in politics, after the country was thrown into uncertainty when Prime Minister Imran Khan dodged an attempt to oust him and sought fresh elections.
“Army has nothing to do with the political process,” Major General Babar Iftikhar, the head of the military’s public relations wing, told Reuters in response to a question about the institution’s involvement in Sunday’s developments.
The Supreme Court is aware of Sunday’s political developments in the country on Sunday, the chief justice’s office said. The chief justice “has taken notice of current situation. Further details will be shared,” a statement from his office said.
