Pakistan PM Imran Khan calls for a cabinet meeting, SC order challenged: Key developments
PremiumThe ruling government is very likely to lose the no-confidence motion that is scheduled to take place later in the evening.
The Imran Khan government in Pakistan has challenged the Supreme Court's verdict of setting aside the National Assembly Deputy Speaker's rejection of the no-trust motion against Imran Khan.
The ruling government is very likely to lose the no-confidence motion that is scheduled to take place later in the evening.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has also called for a cabinet meeting late on Saturday night amid the political turmoil in Pakistan. If he loses the no-confidence motion, he will be the first prime minister to face so.
Here are ten updates to the story you should know
-The cabinet meeting comes as a surprise as the no-confidence vote is expected to be completed by around 8pm and Imran Khan has little to no chances of surviving it.
-Meanwhile, Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government today filed a review petition in the Supreme Court challenging its decision to declare the ruling of the deputy speaker to dismiss the no-confidence resolution against the prime minister as unconstitutional.
-"We got to know that US diplomats were meeting our people. Then we got to know about the entire plan," he said, adding that he is not at the liberty to publicly release all the details owing to national security concerns.
-Earlier PM Khan had claimed that foreign powers are trying to topple his government and Pakistan's lawmakers are being traded like sheep to accomplish this. This claim was however, refuted by US.
-Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party lost the majority in the assembly earlier this month when a key coalition partner said its 7 lawmakers would vote with the opposition. More than a dozen lawmakers from PTI had indicated they would cross over.
-The opposition says it has more than 172 votes in the 342-seat assembly, which needs a quarter of members present for a quorum. It has alleged that the government is trying to delay the no-trust vote.
-Calling on the people of Pakistan to protect the country's sovereignty, Khan last night asked the people to hit the streets on Sunday and peacefully protest against an "imported government".
-PM Khan said foreign powers want a pliable PM and that's why they are trying to push him out. He has called the political situation an attack on the sovereignty of Pakistan. "We are 22 crore people. It is insulting that someone from outside is ordering this to 22 crore people," he said.
-The Supreme Court on Thursday had overturned a move by Khan to block a parliamentary vote seeking to oust him. The dismissal of the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan was "unconstitutional", the Pakistan Supreme Court said. It reconstituted the national assembly and ordered the Speaker to call a session.
-If Khan loses, the opposition could nominate its own Prime Minister and hold power until August 2023, by which date fresh elections have to be held
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