Pakistan Political Crisis: SC refuses interim stay, urges all to maintain peace

Islamabad, Apr 03: Pakistan's Supreme Court on Sunday barred all state institutions from taking any "unconstitutional" steps after the dismissal of the no-confidence vote in the National Assembly against Prime Minister Imran Khan and the subsequent approval of the president to dissolve the House at the advice of the embattled premier.

Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial said that all orders and actions initiated by the prime minister and the president regarding the dissolution of the National Assembly will be subject to the court's order as he adjourned for one day the hearing of the high-profile case.

Chief Justice Bandial took notice of the political situation and a three member bench held the initial hearing despite the weekend and issued notices to all the respondents, including President Alvi and deputy Speaker of the NA, Suri.

The court ordered all parties not to take any "unconstitutional" measures and adjourned the hearing until Monday.

In a highly controversial move, Pakistan's embattled Prime Minister Imran Khan stunned a determined Opposition on Sunday by recommending snap elections, minutes after a no-confidence motion against him was dismissed by the deputy speaker of the National Assembly.

Prime Minister Khan, who had effectively lost majority in the 342-member National Assembly, made a brief address to the nation after a stormy parliament session was adjourned by Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri.

Khan congratulated the nation for the no-trust motion being dismissed, saying the deputy speaker had "rejected the attempt of changing the regime [and] the foreign conspiracy".

"The nation should prepare for the new elections," he said, adding that the no-confidence was actually a "foreign agenda". Khan said he has advised President Alvi to dissolve assemblies.

"Prepare for elections. No corrupt forces will decide what the future of the country will be. When the assemblies will be dissolved, the procedure for the next elections and the caretaker government will begin," the 69-year-old cricketer-turned-politician said.

It is worth mentioning that no Pakistani prime minister has ever completed a full five-year term in office.