Prime Minister Imran Khan in an address to the nation on Friday said he accepts the Supreme Court’s verdict issued a day ago.
“I am saddened by the verdict, but I accept it,” the premier said.
He said the National Assembly deputy speaker prorogued the assembly and set aside the no-confidence motion in light of Article 5 of the Constitution.
“There was foreign interference in Pakistan’s no-confidence. I wanted the SC to at least looked at it, it was a very serious allegation that a foreign country wants to topple the government through a conspiracy.”
The premier said he was at least expecting a probe by the SC.
“The SC could have at least asked for and looked at the document to gauge whether we’re speaking the truth. I was a bit disappointed because this is a very big issue and there was no discussion on it in the SC.”
PM Imran said he was also saddened at the haste with which the court made its decision.
He said open horse trading and “buying and selling of consciences of lawmakers” was going on in the country. “Every child knows the price at which consciences are being sold.”
“What kind of democracy is this? Which democracy in the world allows this? And the biggest forum for justice, the judiciary, we expected it to take suo motu action if nothing else.”
“I will never accept the ‘imported’ government and I will take to the streets,” said premier while referring to the opposition’s no-confidence motion which is likely to remove him from power and set to take place on Saturday in the lower house of parliament.
“They will end accountability drive by abolishing NAB [National Accountability Bureau]… and reverse electoral reforms including overseas voting rights,” said the premier while urging opposition parties to agree to his demand of early elections.
PM Imran at the end of his speech asked his supporters to stage protests across the country when the “new imported government” comes into power on Sunday.
Yesterday, the apex court had in a 5-0 unanimous verdict set aside the April 3 ruling of National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri in which he dismissed the no-trust motion against the premier and also reversed the dissolution of the NA by the president on the PM’s advice.
According to PTI leader Faisal Javed Khan, PM Imran was well aware of how to tackle the challenges thrown his way. “Apparently, the opposition thinks it has won but that is not so. They have lost,” he said.
“Kaptaan will make an important announcement today. He will never disappoint the nation,” he said.
As the opposition celebrated, the prime minister took to Twitter to announce that he had summoned a meeting of the federal cabinet for today and would also address the nation.
He said a meeting of the PTI’s parliamentary committee would also be convened today and that he would “continue to fight for Pakistan till the last ball”.
The apex court, in its short order, ruled that the deputy speaker’s ruling was “contrary to the Constitution and the law and of no legal effect”.
It ruled that President Dr Arif Alvi’s decision to dissolve the NA was also “contrary to the Constitution and the law and of no legal effect”, noting that the prime minister could not have advised the president to dissolve the assembly as he is facing a no-confidence motion.
“It is further declared that the [National] Assembly was in existence at all times, and continues to remain and be so,” the short order said.
The court’s verdict restored the prime minister and his cabinet in their position. “In consequence of the foregoing, it is declared that the prime minister and federal ministers, ministers of state, advisers, etc stand restored to their respective offices,” the office said.
The court also ordered for the NA session to reconvene on Saturday (tomorrow) no later than 10:30am, saying that the session cannot be prorogued without the conclusion of the no-trust motion against PM Imran.
The joint opposition had submitted a no-confidence motion against the premier with the NA Secretariat on March 8.
In the days to follow, the country’s political landscape was abuzz with activity as parties and individuals changed alliances and the PTI and opposition were seen trading barbs and allegations alongside intensifying efforts to ensure their success in the no-confidence contest.
Eventually, major allies of the ruling PTI — Balochistan Awami Party and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan — deserted the government and joined the opposition ranks which led to PM Imran losing his majority in the lower house of parliament.
It was expected that if voting on the motion went ahead as scheduled on April 3, PM Imran would be ousted from office. The joint opposition, meanwhile, had nominated Shehbaz Sharif as their candidate for the top post.
But before voting could go ahead, the deputy speaker, who was chairing the session, in a shock ruling, dismissed the no-trust motion, terming it contradictory to Article 5 of the Constitution, which mandates loyalty to the state.
According to the deputy speaker, the no-confidence motion was part of a foreign conspiracy to oust PM Imran, evidence of which had been seen by the National Security Committee and the federal cabinet in the form of a ‘threat letter’ sent to Pakistan through its ambassador in a foreign country.
Immediately after Suri prorogued the session following his ruling, the premier addressed the nation on television, saying that he had advised the president to dissolve the National Assembly. Hours later, the president issued a notification to dissolve the lower house.
