Pakistan Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that the National Assembly deputy speaker’s ruling to dismiss the no-confidence motion filed by the opposition against Prime Minister Imran Khan was unconstitutional.
A five-member bench headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial and included Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Mazhar Alam Khan announced the verdict, which was reserved earlier in the day.
The top court had also summoned the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) officials including its secretary.
Earlier, during a hearing of the case, CJP Bandial, after consultation with fellow judges, observed that it was clear that the ruling of the deputy speaker to dismiss the no-confidence motion submitted against the prime minister was “wrong”.
The Pakistan Chief Justice remarked that there would be no stability in the country even after the restoration of the National Assembly that had been dissolved as a result of the ruling.
The court retired for a 15 minutes break. The CJP said after the break the court will touch upon salient features of the Constitution which include democracy and the parliamentary form of system.
Attorney General for Pakistan Khalid Jawed Khan argued that everyone needed to be loyal to the state. He said that he is not defending the ruling. “However, I think new elections are the only solution,” he added.
