Blocking no-confidence vote against premier unconstitutional, rules Pakistan's top court

By Aamir Latif and Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AA) – Pakistan’s top court on Thursday set aside the deputy speaker's ruling to dismiss a no-trust resolution against Prime Minister Imran Khan and the subsequent dissolution of the lower house of parliament by the president on the premier's advice.

The apex court, in a unanimous judgment, ordered the speaker to summon a session of parliament on April 9 and hold a vote on the no-trust motion.

A five-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial also declared the dissolution of the National Assembly on Sunday “unconstitutional,” declaring it “null and void.”

President Arif Alvi had approved the dissolution of the assembly, setting the stage for snap elections within the next 90 days.

Qasim Khan Suri, the deputy speaker, had rejected the no-trust motion against the prime minister, saying it was brought forward on the behest of a foreign power.

The combined opposition, led by the Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, had submitted the no-confidence motion against Khan on March 8, contending that the prime minister had lost the trust of the majority of lawmakers.