SC nullifies Deputy Speaker's ruling, orders voting on no-confidence motion against PM
Pakistan
CJP Bandial noted Deputy Speaker’s ruling is, prima facie, a violation of Article 95.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Supreme Court on Thurdsday while rejecting the ruling of Deputy Speaker of National Assembly rejecting no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan has reinstated the National Assembly and the national assembly must reconvene to hold a no-confidence vote on Prime Minister Imran Khan.
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A five-member larger bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Umer Atta Bandial announced the verdict. While pronouncing the judgement, the CJP said that it was a unanimous decision of all the judges.
The apex court ordered the Speaker National Assembly to summon session of the Lower House of the Parliament on Saturday. The Court remarked that the Speaker cannot postpone session without voting on no confidence motion and ordered for the session of the National Assembly to reconvene on Saturday at 10:30am.
The ruling of the top court said, "The prime minister did not have the right to advise the president to dissolve the assembly [...] all the decisions made till date have been nullified." "...if the no-confidence motion against the prime minister succeeds, then the assembly will appoint the new prime minister," the top court s order said.
Read Supreme Court order
The top court also restored Prime Minister Imran Khan as well as his cabinet. The judgement also stated that the government could not interfere in the participation of any MNA in the assembly session. The court further stated that the current order would not impact the proceedings under Article 63 of the Constitution.
Security in and around the apex court has been beefed up. Riot police have been deployed outside the apex court.
Former cricket star Khan lost his parliamentary majority last week and was on the verge of being forced from office by a no-confidence vote tabled by the opposition on Sunday. But the deputy speaker of parliament, a member of Khan s party, threw out the motion, ruling it was part of a foreign conspiracy and unconstitutional. Khan then dissolved parliament.
The stand-off has thrown the nuclear-armed country of 220 million people, ruled by the military for extended periods since independence in 1947, into a full-blown constitutional crisis, and sent its currency to all-time lows against the dollar on Thursday.
Shehbaz Sharif
Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif and PDM chairman Maulana Fazlur Rehman while expressing satisfaction over the decision of the Supreme Court said that it was a victory of the constitution and democracy.
Talking to media persons at his residence in Minister’s Enclave after the Supreme Court decision on Thursday, Shehbaz Sharif thanked Allah Almighty and said that the prayers of the entire nation have come true.
He said that the ruling of the court has saved Pakistan and the constitution.
The opposition leader said that court has also strengthened the parliament with the verdict, adding that this Ramadan, the people have won a great battle.
Fazlur Rehman
Speaking on the occasion, Fazlur Rehman while expressing satisfaction over the decision of the Supreme Court said that this is the victory of the constitution and democracy.
“We thank Allah Almighty for this,” he said. He said that the whole nation would perform Sajdah-e-Shukr on Friday.
Maryam Nawaz
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president Maryam Nawaz took to the Twitter and expressed her gratitude to God for the Opposition s win.
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) April 7, 2022
"I congratulate the nation as the supremacy of the Constitution has been restored," she wrote. "Those who had violated the Constitution are done away with. May Allah keep Pakistan shining.
She also hailed her uncle, PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif, and wrote that he would be the next premier.
Bilawal Bhutto
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari in his latest Tweet while reacting to the decision of the Supreme Court said, "Democracy is the best revenge."
— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) April 7, 2022
