Pakistan’s top court on Thursday set aside the deputy speaker's ruling to dismiss a no-trust resolution against Prime Minister Imran Khan and the subsequent dissolution of the lower house of parliament by the president on the premier's advice.
The apex court, in a unanimous judgment, ordered the speaker to summon a session of parliament on April 9 and hold a vote on the no-trust motion.
A five-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial also termed the dissolution of the National Assembly on Sunday “contrary to the constitution,” and declared the move “null and void.”
President Arif Alvi had approved the dissolution of the assembly, setting the stage for snap elections within the next 90 days.
Qasim Khan Suri, the deputy speaker, had rejected the no-trust motion against the prime minister, saying it was brought forward on the behest of a “foreign power.”
The combined opposition, led by the Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, had submitted the no-confidence motion against Khan on March 8, contending that the prime minister had lost the trust of the majority of lawmakers.
In case of the success of the no-trust motion, the house will elect the new prime minister for the remaining one and a half years.
The apex court also ordered the government not to prevent any lawmaker from voting on the no-trust motion.
- Opposition welcomes judgment
Opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the Supreme Court’s verdict and termed it “historic.”
Senator Faisal Javed Khan, a close aide of Khan, in a tweet declined to comment on the judgment, saying the prime minister will soon announce his next strategy.
The prime minister, for his part, said that he has called a Cabinet meeting on Friday and that he would address the nation as well.
“My message to our nation is I have always amp; will continue to fight for Pak (Pakistan) till the last ball,” he said on Twitter.
Rumors abound in the capital Islamabad that Khan and his party lawmakers are considering resigning en masse from the parliament.
Commenting on the rumors, Sharif told reporters that even in case of mass resignations, the opposition enjoys the majority to form the next government in case of a “successful” no confidence motion.
