SC reserves verdict; Imran Khan's fate in limbo

Islamabad: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has reserved its verdict on suo motu notice— the case involving National Assembly deputy speaker Qasim Suri's move to no-confidence vote against embattled Prime Minister Imran Khan through a controversial ruling and the subsequent dissolution of Parliament by the president. 

Pakistan's chief justice on Thursday that the court would decide the case keeping in view the national interest. 

If Imran Khan gets favourable ruling, elections will take place within 90 days. However, if the court ruled against deputy speaker, Parliament will reconvene and hold the no-confidence vote against Khan. 

Today, Pakistan's Supreme Court (SC), resumed the crucial hearing on the dismissal of a no-confidence vote against embattled Prime Minister Imran Khan through a controversial ruling by the deputy speaker of the National Assembly and the subsequent dissolution of Parliament by the president. 

A five-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel, Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel took up the case in the morning.

As the apex court heard the high-profile case for the fourth day, Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial noted that National Assembly deputy speaker Qasim Suri's move to dismiss a no-confidence motion against embattled Prime Minister Imran Khan through a controversial ruling is, prima facie, a violation of Article 95 of the Constitution. 

Additionally, Umar Ata Bandial also reiterated that verdict will be announced today. 

On the other hand, the security outside Pakistan’s top court was beefed up to avoid any sort of untoward situation.

The cricketer-turned politician lost his parliamentary majority last week and had faced a no-confidence vote tabled by the opposition alliance, which he was expected to lose on Sunday. 

On April 3, Imran Khan took steps that are unmatched by any other Prime Minister in the history of the Pakistan. Following which, opposition groups called for a boycott of the by-elections, but the matter was being heard in the Supreme Court.