Bowling out Imran Khan: The midnight court
Many players played a role in the ousting of Khan from office, one of which was a Pak Supreme Court bench that was ready to sit for an urgent hearing regarding the issue even at midnight
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was ousted from office following a no-confidence vote in the Pak National Assembly (NA) on Saturday (9 April). Many players played a role in the ousting of Khan from office, one of which was a Pak Supreme Court bench that was ready to sit for an urgent hearing regarding the issue even at midnight.
Before this, the Pak NA was set to vote on a no-confidence motion against Imran Khan on 3 April. Pakistan's National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri, who was chairing the session, dismissed the no-confidence motion against the Pakistani prime minister, terming it a contradiction of Article 5 of the Constitution, reports The News International.
Later in the day, Imran Khan, in an address to the nation, said he had advised President Arif Alvi to dissolve assemblies.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
However, The Supreme Court of Pakistan has set aside the deputy speaker's ruling to dismiss the no-trust resolution against Imran and the subsequent dissolution of the NA by the president on the PM's advice, with all five judges unanimously voting 5-0 against it.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government led by Imran Khan had filed a review petition against the Pak Supreme Court verdict on the Deputy Speaker's ruling over the no-trust motion in the National Assembly.
Imran Khan was told of the possible consequences of violation of the Supreme Court's five-member bench unanimous decision regarding the vote of no-confidence.
It was around 11 pm on 9 April when Khan was finally told that in case of violation of the SC order he and his team could not only face contempt of court but action under Article 190 of the Constitution of Pakistan, as the five-member bench of the SC, after reports that its order not been implemented, reached the SC building before midnight and for the first time in the history was all set to sit for urgent hearing.
Thus, Imran was left with only two options - either to quit or face exit through a vote of no-confidence. He had already lost the majority of the House.
