Pakistan SC Terms Dissolution of Assembly Illegal, Calls For No-Trust Vote Against Imran Khan on April 9 | Key Points

Pakistan Supreme Curt Hearing Latest Update: In the meantime, Pakistan's Election Commission told the top court that four months will be required to hold transparent general elections.

Islamabad: Pakistan Supreme Court on Wednesday delivered the verdict and said the deputy speaker’s decision to dissolve the national assembly in the country was illegal. The top court also declared the deputy speaker’s ruling ‘unconstitutional in a unanimous judgment.

A five-judge bench of the Pakistan Supreme Court ordered the reinstatement of the National Assembly in contravention of President Arif Alvi’s decision to dissolve the lower house of Pakistan’s Parliament. Moreover, the opposition parties have also been granted permission to hold the no-confidence motion against the Imran Khan government.

Notably, Supreme Court Chief Justice Bandial is heading the five-member bench comprising Justices Ijazul Ahsan, Mohammad Ali Mazhar Miankhel, Munib Akhtar and Jamal Khan Mandokhel.

Declaring the order of fresh elections as null and void, the Supreme Court said the national assembly stands reconstituted and the Speaker has been ordered to call a session. As per the SC order, the no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Imran Khan will now be held on Saturday, April 9, 2022.

Supreme Court of Pakistan declares that the PM and Federal Ministers, Ministers of State, Advisers, etc, stand restored to their respective offices as on April 3: Pak's The Express Tribune pic.twitter.com/wAM2jSQhYn

— ANI (@ANI) April 7, 2022

The Supreme Court said the prime minister was bound by Constitution, therefore, he could not advise the president to dissolve assemblies.

Supreme Court of Pakistan says the prime minister was bound by Constitution, therefore, he could not advise the president to dissolve assemblies; no-trust move at 10am on Saturday (9th April): Pakistan's Geo News pic.twitter.com/7surhs3fm9

— ANI (@ANI) April 7, 2022

However, if Imran Khan loses on Saturday, he will be the first to be removed through a no-trust vote. Notably, two other Prime Ministers against whom a no-confidence motion was called, had stepped down before the vote began.

It must be noted that the no-trust motion against Imran Khan’s government was on Sunday dismissed by the Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri, who called it against the Constitution and rules of Pakistan.

Ahead of the verdict, the security in and around the apex court was beefed up. Riot police forces were deployed outside the court building.

During the hearing, Chief Justice Bandial noted deputy speaker’s ruling is, prima facie, a violation of Article 95.

Various lawyers appeared in the court to plead in the complex case. Naeem Bokhari represented deputy speaker Suri, Imtiaz Siddiqui appeared for Prime Minister Khan, Ali Zafar represented President Alvi and Attorney General Khaled Javed Khan represented the government.

Babar Awan appeared on behalf of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, Raza Rabbani for Pakistan Peoples Party and Makhdoom Ali Khan for Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.

Apart from leading lawyers representing various parties, the court also called at the rostrum Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz president and main opposition leader, and asked about his view on the way forward in the wake of uncertainty due to dissolution of assembly and announcement of fresh elections.

Reacting to the Pakistan Supreme Court’s verdict, PPP leader Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said “Democracy is the best revenge! Jiya Bhutto! Jiya Awam! Pakistan Zindabad.”

Democracy is the best revenge!
Jiya Bhutto!
Jiya Awam!
Pakistan Zindabad.

— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) April 7, 2022

With the court ruling against the deputy speaker, Parliament is likely to reconvene and hold the no-confidence vote against Khan.