The instability in Pakistan after the rejection of the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan and the dissolution of Parliament; It has finally been taken to court. Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Monday began hearing the legitimacy of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s call for early elections by dissolving parliament after the opposition’s no-confidence motion was rejected by the National Assembly.
Former cricket star Imran Khan lost a majority in the country’s parliament last week after the country’s ruling political party left the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) alliance, an ally of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led alliance.
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A no-confidence motion against him was scheduled to be held in the lower house of parliament on Sunday, but the motion was rejected by the deputy speaker after the session began, calling it unconstitutional and a foreign conspiracy.
The conflict with the opposition has left the nuclear-armed country, which has been under military rule for almost half the time since independence in 1947, facing a major constitutional crisis.
Whatever the decision of the Supreme Court, it seems that Pakistan is heading for new elections before the current Parliament and the term of the Prime Minister expires in 2023. Even if Imran Khan wins that election, elections will be held in the next 90 days. Opposition parties have stated they will not run in the by-elections, but will seek to have Imran Khan re-elected.
Pakistan’s opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif has accused Imran Khan of high treason for rejecting a no-confidence motion in parliament. An editorial in Pakistan’s English-language daily Dawn on Monday said the nation was shocked today. The country’s political analysts and the media also predicted the defeat of Imran Khan.
“No one could have guessed that Imran Khan’s last conspiracy would destroy the democratic order,” Dawn wrote.
The Pakistani prime minister has dissolved his cabinet and called for general elections in the next 90 days. However, the power to make a formal decision depends on the president, the election commission and the outcome of the court hearing.
The presidency in Pakistan is largely official. Imran Khan will be the caretaker Prime Minister until a caretaker Prime Minister is appointed, President Arif Alvi said in a statement. Under which general election will be held.
A statement from the president’s office said, “President Alvi has written a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan and Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif asking them to nominate the caretaker Prime Minister within three days.”
But whether or not elections will be held in the country depends on the outcome of the court’s legal process. A five-member bench of the Supreme Court on Monday began hearing the no-confidence motion and the legitimacy of dissolving parliament.
Now, after the hearing, the Supreme Court may restrain him from standing for election if there is evidence of unconstitutional action against the resumption of Parliament, new elections or Imran Khan. However, the court can take a decision stating that it has no right to interfere in parliamentary matters.
Imran Khan has said that he has not done anything unconstitutional. The move to oust him was a conspiracy hatched by the United States. Although Washington has denied the allegations.