PAKISTAN TOP COURT LIKELY TO RULE ON MOVE TO BLOCK IMRAN KHAN’S OUSTER

Thu 07 April 2022:

Pakistan’s Supreme Court is expected to complete a hearing on Prime Minister Imran Khan’s blocking of an opposition move to oust him.

The decision is scheduled to be announced later on Thursday by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial.

Khan’s detractors claim the action was unconstitutional and has thrown the nuclear-armed country into chaos.

Khan, a former cricketer, lost his legislative majority last week and was on the verge of being removed from power when the opposition presented a no-confidence motion 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 country of 220 million people, ruled by the military for extended periods since independence in 1947, into a full-blown constitutional crisis.

Legal challenge

The opposition has challenged the decision to block the vote in the Supreme Court, which began deliberating the case on Monday.

Bandial said on Wednesday he wanted to wrap up the hearing.

“Let’s start early from tomorrow to conclude the case,” he said at the end of a session in which defence lawyers offered a justification for Khan’s actions.

Khan’s allies have maintained that the opposition’s attempt to overthrow him with foreign backing was illegal. That has been denied by opposition leaders.

If Khan is found to have violated the constitution, the court may order that parliament be reconstituted, new elections be held, or Khan be removed from power.

It may also determine that it is not permitted to intervene in parliamentary proceedings.

On three instances, the military has intervened to topple civilian governments and control the country, citing the necessity to restore order. It has vehemently denied any role in the current issue.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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