The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday resumed the court hearing on the legitimacy of the dismissal of the no-trust motion and the following dissolution of the National Assembly. At the previous hearing, Farooq H Naek presented the opposition’s case before the bench.
However, as the meeting resumed today, Raza Rabbani, a PPP senator and former chairman of the senate, presented the opposition’s arguments before the five-member panel.
Raza argued that it was the opposition’s constitutional right to present a resolution of no-confidence against a sitting Prime Minister, further adding that once the resolution had been submitted, only the Prime Minister’s resignation could stop the motion.
Otherwise, once the resolution is tabled, it has to be voted upon, he added. He argued that the speaker’s ruling was unconstitutional, and the court would review the ruling under article 95 (2) of the constitution.
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The opposition’s lawyer also requested the court to summon the diplomatic cable -foreign funded conspiracy letter- and the minutes of the National Security Council meeting before it. “The court should strike down the speaker’s ruling and restore the National Assembly,” he added.
According to local media, the media wing of the armed forces is also expected to clarify the National Security Committee meeting press release issue today.
Political Turmoil
The National Assembly of Pakistan convened a session on the 03 of April to oust the sitting Prime Minister, Imran Khan, through a vote of no confidence. The session was adjourned by the deputy speaker Qasim Suri, shortly after the former minister for law and justice, Fawad Hussain, raised concerns over a regime change foreign conspiracy.
Minutes after the session was suspended, the Prime Minister came on television and notified the public that he had advised the President to dissolve the assemblies. Subsequently, the decision was announced that the President had accepted the advice, and the assembly would stand dissolved.
As a result of the decision, all the ministers, with the exception of the Chief Executive -Prime Minister Imran Khan- were stripped of their ranks. Following the dissolution of the National Assembly and dismissal of the no-trust motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan, Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial took notice of the prevailing situation and ordered a suo moto notice.
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Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial said that “any orders and actions that Prime Minister Imran Khan and President Arif Alvi regarding the dissolution of the National Assembly shall be subject to the order of this court.” A five-member bench took up the matter, and the case is currently under review. The Chief Justice has ensured both parties that the court would issue a “reasonable order.”