The Assembly will be able to proceed to the vote of a motion of censorship that could cause the fall of the Prime Minister, Imran Khan.
Le Monde and AFP
The Supreme Court of Pakistan canceled, Thursday, April 7, the dissolution of the National Assembly and ordered that it proceeds to the vote on the motion of censure presented against the Prime Minister, Imran Khan. A victory for the Pakistani opposition that seems able to overthrow the head of government. “The National Assembly continues to stay in session,” said the Court, which ordered that it gathers again Saturday to submit the motion to the vote.
“This decision has saved Pakistan and its constitution. It has increased the honor and dignity of the Court,” reacted the Leader of the opposition to the Assembly, Shahbaz Sharif, League leader. Muslim from Pakistan (PML-N), and foreseen to become prime minister if the censorship motion is approved.
The judgment was welcomed with effervescence in Islamabad by the proponents of the opposition, who invaded the streets in cars, the sound of the horn. A strong police presence could also be observed in the capital.
Maneuvers and accusations
The highest judicial body of the country considered “contrary to the constitution and without legal effect” the refusal of the vice-president of the National Assembly, a faithful of Mr. Khan, to submit this motion on the vote on Sunday, What had allowed the leader of the government to avoid being overthrown.
The opposition had announced having rallied sufficient voices to lose his parliamentary majority to Mr. Khan, 69, an old cricket star who had won the elections in 2018. But she had been surprised by the maneuver of last Minute of the vice-president of the Assembly, who had refused to vote the motion on the ground that it was unconstitutional, because resulting from a “foreign interference”.
Imran Khan had several times in recent days accused the United States to interfere in Pakistani domestic affairs with the complicity of the opposition, which he denounced the treachery. He reproached Washington, who denied any involvement, wanting to get his departure, because of his refusal to align with the US positions about Russia and China.
The head of the Government then obtained Sunday from the President of the Republic, Arif Alvi, another of his allies, the dissolution of the Assembly, which automatically led to the convening of anticipated legislative on 90 days.
a succession of political crises
There will be no election in the immediate future after the judgment of the Supreme Court and Mr. Khan now seems to have no chance of surviving the motion of censorship.
Pakistan, an Islamic Republic of 220 million inhabitants with the nuclear weapon, which celebrates its 75 years of existence this year, is used to political crises.
No prime minister has ever gone to the end of his mandate in that country, who, since his independence in 1947, has experienced four successful military putsches and at least as many attempts at coups, and has passed more three decades under a military regime.