Imran Khan de-notified as Prime Minister

Federal Cabinet dissolved, says Fawad

All actions by PM, President subject to court orders: CJP

ISLAMABAD   -   On the advice of Prime Minister Imran Khan, President Arif Alvi dissolved the National Assembly soon after the no-confidence motion moved by the opposition parties against the premier was blocked by the Deputy Speaker on Sunday afternoon.

The opposition parties called Sunday’s move as ‘illegal and unconstitutional’ while demanding the country’s top court to take notice of one of the worst political crisis in the country. While hearing a plea challenging the dissolution of the country’s National Assembly, Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial said Sunday that all orders and actions initiated by Prime Minister Imran Khan and President Arif Alvi are subject to the orders of the Pakistan’s Supreme Court.

The bench headed by the Chief Justice on Sunday adjourned the hearing into the matter for one day. Pakistan’s Supreme Court has ordered all parties, including the opposition, to avoid taking any unconstitutional measures until the bench delivers a verdict on the plea challenging President Arif Alvi’s decision to dissolve the National Assembly on the advice of PM Imran Khan.

As the National Assembly’s deputy speaker declared the motion against PM Imran Khan as unconstitutional and part of ‘a plot by foreign powers’ to interfere in Pakistan’s democracy, Prime Minister Imran Khan sent an advice to President Arif Alvi for dissolution of the National Assembly for fresh elections in the country.

“The President of Pakistan, Dr Arif Alvi, has approved the advice of the Prime Minister of Pakistan to dissolve the National Assembly under the Article 58 (1) read with Article 48(1) of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,” the president said on Twitter.

In a related development, Imran Khan was de-notified as Prime Minister of Pakistan late Sunday.

As per a notification issued by the Cabinet Secretariat, Imran Khan has officially been de-notified as the Prime Minister of Pakistan. However, he will continue to hold office until the appointment of a caretaker Prime Minister, as per Article 224 of the Constitution of Pakistan.

Imran Khan made the surprising announcement in a brief televised address to the nation on Sunday shortly after the rejection of the opposition’s no-confidence motion by Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri under Article 5 of the constitution. “Ghabrana Nahi Hai (don’t get worried), it is my message to the conspirators,” the prime minister said while addressing his political foes in his popular coined phrase.

The Prime Minister said a caretaker setup will be formed after dissolution of the assembly, initiating the procedure for new elections. He said people should prepare for fresh elections. Imran Khan claimed no-confidence move against him was based on a foreign agenda, and an elected government cannot be removed under a foreign conspiracy. He congratulated the nation on foiling this conspiracy. He said only people have power to bring a government an elected government in the country.

The National Assembly briefly met in Islamabad on Sunday with Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri in the chair. The chair, in its ruling, termed the no-confidence motion, moved by the Opposition against Prime Minister Imran Khan, a foreign sponsored conspiracy against an elected government, and rejected the motion. With his ruling, he also prorogued the House.

Earlier, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said that moving a no-confidence motion against the prime minister is opposition’s democratic and constitutional right, but this no-trust move is a foreign conspiracy, which cannot be entertained.

‘Opposition shows 197 members in house’

The opposition had managed to gather 197 members in the house including PPP-P’s Shahida Rehmani on a wheel-chair. MNA Ali Wazir also attended the proceedings on the production order. The house echoed with slogans and desk-thumping by opposition MNAs when PML-Q’s Tariq Bashir Cheema and Chaudhary Salik entered the house to vote against Prime Minister. The former coalition partners of government from MQM-P and JWP and Balochistan Awami Party [BAP] were also present in the house to vote out Imran Khan. The opposition members even after the prorogation order by the chair remained in the house. They also held their own meetings in the house with PML-N’s Ayaz Sadiq sitting on the speaker’s seat. They conducted their own proceedings with 195 lawmakers voting in favour of the no-confidence motion, according to PPP’s Sherry Rehman.

 ‘Subject to the court’s orders’

The Supreme Court of Pakistan Sunday restrained all the state institutions from taking any “extra constitutional” steps and said that all orders and actions of the President and Prime Minister about dissolution of National Assembly would be “subject to the court’s orders”.

A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial issued the directions while hearing a suo motu notice of the current political situation of the country after rejection of a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan by a “ruling” of National Assembly (NA) Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri and the subsequent dissolution of the NA by President Arif Alvi.

In its written order, the SC bench stated that Office initiated a note stating events that took place today in the National Assembly and have been widely reported on electronic and social media that motion of no-confidence against the Prime Minister of Pakistan was to be voted upon by the National Assembly today i.e. 03.04.2022. However, reportedly the (Deputy) Speaker of the National Assembly has dismissed the said motion in the light of Article 5 of the Constitution of 1973. The following order was passed on the note in chambers:

“Several Hon. Judges of the Court have met me earlier today to share their concern about the constitutional situation following the rejection of the motion of no confidence against the Prime Minister by the Deputy Speaker today on the basis of Article 5 of the Constitution. In view of the above consensus, power under Article 184(3) of the Constitution is invoked to initiate original proceedings before the Court.”

The bench said that at the outset, notice is issued to the learned Attorney General for Pakistan under Order XXVIIA CPC on the constitutionality of the decision of the Deputy Speaker to dismiss the motion of no confidence on the basis of Article 5 of the Constitution. “It is contended that, prima facie, there is neither a finding recorded in the matter nor was a hearing granted to the affected party. We would also like to examine whether such action is protected by the ouster contained in Article 69 of the Constitution,” said the SC order.

Also, PM Imran Khan tweeted, “Astonished by reaction of PDM to our calling for general elections. They have been crying hoarse about how our government has failed and lost support of the people, so why the fear of elections now? Democrats go to the people for support.” He added, “Isn’t it better for PDM to accept elections rather than being part of a foreign conspiracy for regime change; and indulging in blatant purchasing of loyalties thereby destroying our nation’s moral fibre?”

Former Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain on Sunday said the Federal Cabinet had been dissolved. Prime Minister Imran Khan, however, would continue his duties under Article 224 of the Constitution, he said in a tweet.