Lagatar24 Desk
Islamabad, April 7: The crucial hearing on the dismissal of a no-confidence motion against embattled Prime Minister Imran Khan by the National Assembly’s deputy speaker and the president’s subsequent dissolution of Parliament continued on Thursday in Pakistan’s Supreme Court.
The court deferred its decision on whether Prime Minister Khan violated the Constitution by dismissing Parliament rather than face a no-confidence vote on Wednesday, as it sought the minutes of the National Security Council meeting to learn more about the alleged ‘foreign conspiracy.’
On Sunday, Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri of the National Assembly determined that the no-confidence resolution was tied to a ‘foreign conspiracy’ to destabilise the government and hence could not be sustained. On Prime Minister Khan’s suggestion, President Arif Alvi dissolved the National Assembly minutes afterwards.
On Wednesday, Babar Awan represented Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Ali Zafar represented President Alvi at the third day of the hearing. Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, who is leading a five-judge panel that includes Justices Ijazul Ahsan, Mohammad Ali Mazhar, Munib Akhtar, and Jamal Khan Mandokhail, questioned Awan about the minutes of the National Security Council meeting where a letter purportedly showing evidence of a foreign conspiracy to destabilise the PTI-led government was discussed.
Notably, the case has named President Alvi, the Supreme Court Bar Association, and all political parties as respondents. The constitutionality of the presidential order to dissolve the National Assembly will be determined by the court’s verdict.
