New Delhi: Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Thursday issued a landmark ruling, resolving a constitutional crisis that arose last week.
Prime Minister Imran Khan, a self-styled populist leader and former cricket star, was punished by the court. The court found that Khan had violated the constitution when he dissolved Pakistan’s parliament last week to avoid losing power in a no-confidence vote.
However, analysts of the country’s politics said the ruling was both shocking and encouraging.
Let’s take a look at what is happening in the political corridors of Pakistan:
Voting on no-confidence motion against PM Imran postponed till 7.30 pm
According to Dawn’s news, the session of the National Assembly to decide the fate of Prime Minister Imran Khan has been postponed till 7.30 pm due to Iftar and Maghrib prayers.
Today’s session, chaired by NA President Asad Qaiser, began at 10:30 am, in compliance with the Supreme Court’s directions and with the recitation of the Holy Quran. This was followed by the national anthem and prayers for the recently departed mother of MNA Shazia Sobia.
However, Speaker Asad Qaiser opted to adjourn the session shortly after, when Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif approached the floor at one point and made a brief statement reminding the Speaker that he had to serve as the top court. The decision was required to be followed, news agency PTI.
During his address, MPs from Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) began to intervene and call him a beggar, a clear nod to his earlier remark that “beggars should not be selectors”. Can.”
To remove the prime minister through a no-confidence motion, the opposition needs the support of at least 172 members out of a total of 342 MPs.
Following the adjournment of the session, the Treasury and the Opposition Bench met in the Speaker’s chamber, with the latter calling for the proceedings to be conducted as per the directions of the Supreme Court.
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and PTI leader Amir Dogar represented the government, while the opposition was represented by Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Rana Sanaullah, Ayaz Sadiq, Naveed Qamar and Maulana Asad Mehmood.
Imran Khan-led PTI reviews plea challenging Supreme Court order on deputy speaker’s decision
The Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government on Saturday filed a review appeal in the Supreme Court, holding the deputy speaker’s decision to dismiss the no-confidence motion against the prime minister as unconstitutional. challenged. news agency PTI reported.
The respondents in the review petition were Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Supreme Court Bar Association, Sindh High Court Bar Association and Sindh Bar Council.
Pakistan’s Supreme Court unanimously overturned Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri’s decision on the rejection of Prime Minister Khan’s no-confidence motion and ordered the reinstatement of the National Assembly, saying the prime minister’s call to dissolve parliament and hold early elections The move was “unconstitutional”.
A five-member court led by Chief Justice Omar Ata Bandiyal declared that the deputy speaker’s decision was “contrary to the Constitution and the law, and had no legal consequences, and is thus set aside” in a significant 5-0 decision. in.
Pak PM Khan called a cabinet meeting late on Saturday night
According to local media sources, the Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan News agency PTI reported that despite the fact that his administration is set to lose a no-confidence vote later that evening, it called a meeting of its cabinet members late on Saturday night.
Khan has called a cabinet meeting at 9 pm at Pradhan Mantri Bhavan in New Delhi. According to Geo News citing high-level sources, important decisions are expected to be taken in the summit.
The gathering took many by surprise as the no-confidence vote is expected to conclude by around 8 pm, and there is little chance of Khan’s survival.
(With input from agencies.)