The Pakistan Supreme Court also reconstituted the national Assembly and ordered the Speaker to call a session of the House.
Islamabad: In a major blow to former cricketer and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, the Supreme Court of the country termed the dismissal of the no-confidence motion against Khan “unconstitutional”.
It also reconstituted the national Assembly and ordered the Speaker to call a session of the House. Khan will now face the no-confidence vote on Saturday at 10 am.
On Sunday, the no-confidence motion against Khan was dismissed by Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri who is known to be a loyalist of the Prime Minister. He termed the motion unconstitutional and cited security concerns when supporters of Khan took to the streets.
After Suri’s move, Khan called for fresh elections and advised the President to dissolve the national Assembly. The Opposition parties termed the move “unconstitutional” and moved the Supreme Court.
If Khan loses the no-trust vote against him, he will be the first Prime Minister of the country to be ousted through a no-confidence motion.
Earlier Khan had said, “Even as a cricketer, I have always played till the last ball. And I intend to do that now as well.” Reiterating that there is “foreign conspiracy” to topple his government, Khan had said, “I want my country to see the faces of those who sell out their conscience (in the assembly),” he said, alleging that members’ support is being bought by the opposition. “This drama is happening in front of the country at Marriott and Sindh House.”
After Thursday’s Supreme Court verdict, former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who is currently in London, said, “I would like to congratulate everyone in the country. People have gotten rid of such a person who ruined the country. He made common people starve. Dollar has reached 200 today and people are frustrated with inflation in the country.”
Sharif’s brother Shahbaz Sharif, who might replace Khan, tweeted, “An epoch-making day! Mubarak to all who supported, defended & campaigned for the supremacy of the Constitution. Today, politics of lies, deceit & allegations has been buried. People of Pakistan have won! God bless Pakistan.”
