LAST UPDATE: 13:16
Prime Minister Imran Khan plunged Pakistan into chaos on Sunday, calling for new elections after one of his allies abruptly canceled a no-confidence vote in a shock move the opposition vowed to challenge in the Supreme Court, according to the Supreme Court. Bloomberg.
Parliament Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri, a member of Khan’s ruling party, called for “foreign involvement” to overturn a motion of censure by the opposition, which said it had the numbers to oust him and take power. Hahn then called on the president to dissolve parliament in a televised speech.
“The public decides who wants to be in power,” Khan, 69, told the nation. “I want to tell the public to prepare for the election.”
Pakistani President Arif Alvi has accepted the prime minister’s request to dissolve parliament.
“The President of Pakistan, Dr. Arif Alvi, has approved the request of the Prime Minister of Pakistan for the dissolution of Parliament, in accordance with Article 58 (1) and Article 48 (1) of the Constitution,” the presidency said in a statement.
The opposition has said it will challenge the move in Pakistan’s Supreme Court.
The prime minister’s move threatens to lead to a constitutional crisis in Pakistan, which is ruled by the military for almost half of its history. Prior to the vote, Hahn had claimed that there was evidence of an “international conspiracy” to overthrow him led by the United States, which denied the allegations.
Khan has been under pressure for weeks to step down after key allies abandoned him in the run-up to Sunday’s vote of no confidence. Although he had earlier called for elections, he could not have done so if the opposition had not withdrawn the motion of censure.
Pakistan’s opposition parties have said the cancellation of the no-confidence vote was illegal and have vowed to challenge the move in court. Opposition leader Sehbaz Sharif told reporters that the vice president and Khan would be charged with treason for violating the constitution.
“We are not leaving parliament,” said Sahid Hakan Abbasi, the former prime minister and lawmaker of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz opposition party. “This is now the test of the Supreme Court for the protection of the Constitution and the country.”
Source: Capital
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