Islamabad, (Samajweekly) Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s resistance against the Opposition to continue as the countrys premier seems to be falling apart with Khan’s options to abstain from the all-important no-confidence motion in the Parliament shrinking at a fast pace.
Khan made a smart move to stage a pre-planned drill on April 3, when the Opposition benches turned up with majority support against him in the National Assembly to vote against the premier.
However, Khan gave a jaw-breaking surprise to the Opposition when his trusted Deputy Speaker, Qasim Shah Suri, cancelled the voting on the no-turst motion, declaring it as part of an ‘international conspiracy’.
The decision sent shockwaves in the Opposition benches, who came with a plan to oust the premier but were bowled by Khan’s yorker.
Khan was quick to address the nation within minutes of the Parliament session, in which he stated that he had sent a recommendation to the President of Pakistan, asking him to dissolve the assemblies with immediate affect and announce general elections in the country.
Khan’s team celebrated what was termed as an unexpected surprise for the Opposition. However, the Opposition had other plans.
The Opposition parties took to the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP), asking the court to take immediate notice of the ‘unconstitutional’ act by the Deputy Speaker, the Prime Minister and the President.
The apex court acted immediately, took a suo moto notice of the matter and decided to form a five-member bench to hear the proceedings on immediate basis.
The court conducted five days of hearing with government and Opposition legal representatives to deliberate into the procedures of the April 3 ruling in the National Assembly.
Khan’s team was confident that it had defeated what it called a ‘foreign conspiracy’ led no-trust motion, aimed at an orchestrated campaign for a regime change in Pakistan.
Khan’s party leaders were seen in celebration mode as the premier announced a seven-day protest against the alleged foreign conspiracy and a celebration for what he claimed as a major defeat to the Opposition parties, whom he claimed party to the foreign conspiracy.
But the Supreme Court had other plans and was not going to allow Khan to topple the government and violate the Constitution of the country.
The government lawyers maintained that under Article 69 of the Constitution of Pakistan, the Supreme Court cannot question any proceedings or ruling of the Parliament.
However, the Supreme Court, in a historic decision, not only declared the April 3 ruling of the Deputy Speaker as unconstitutional, but also ordered re-instatement of the government and the National Assembly, rolling back the order of the President to dissolve the assemblies.
The Supreme Court also ordered convening a National Assembly session on Saturday before 10:30 am Pakistan time, adding that the voting on the no-confidence motion be done on the same day.
The decision has forced Khan to re-arrange his strategy as his surprise to the Opposition has been responded with a much bigger surprise by the Opposition and the Supreme Court.
Options for Khan have further shrunk as his government will either have to face the music of the Opposition in the National Assembly on Saturday, or they will have to look towards rendering mass resignations.
The current chaotic situation in the country is not only a democratic crisis, but is also a major political and constitutional crisis.
With Pakistan looking towards early elections, Khan’s innings in the government, and his googly to the Opposition have been reversed because Khan’s foot was over the line.
