Pakistan was roiled by political uncertainty after President Arif Alvi Sunday dissolved both the national assembly and all provincial assemblies on the advice of Prime Minister Imran Khan after the national assembly rejected the no-trust motion without a vote, prompting opposition leaders to approach the Supreme Court, which barred all state institutions from taking “extra-constitutional steps” and said all actions and orders come under the purview of the top court. 

Opposition parties, who were commanding more than enough votes to oust Prime Minister Khan, were stunned by a series of actions initiated by the government, including disallowing a vote on a no-confidence motion, terming the actions "unprecedented" and "unconstitutional". 

As the confusion grows over the legality of the moves, all eyes are on two crucial institutions - the Supreme Court and the Pakistan military. Significantly, Pakistan's military, possibly distancing itself from the actions of the prime minister, issued a statement, saying “the army has nothing to do with today’s political developments.” 

Taking note of development and requests from opposition parties, a three-judge bench led by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandiyal made a crucial remark, saying that all actions initiated by the prime minister and the president will come under the court’s purview. Calling the development an “important matter,” the chief justice pointedly remarked that the president should also be made a respondent in the case. 

Significantly, the deputy speaker of the house rejected the no-confidence motion, citing Article 5 of the Constitution, which states that "loyalty to the State is the basic duty of every citizen", endorsing the claim by the government, presented by Information and Technology Minister Fawad Chaudhary, that opposition collided with foreign powers to unseat Khan. 

The Supreme Court, however, refused the opposition's request seeking cancelation of the order of the deputy speaker. The court also requested all political parties to behave responsibly and help maintain law and order. 

The court issued notices to Attorney General Khalid Khalid Jawed Khan, the speaker, deputy speaker, defense secretary, interior secretary, and all political parties and adjourned the case's hearing till Monday, Dawn media reported.

Legal and constitutional experts have also questioned the government’s move of dissolving national and provincial assemblies, citing legal hurdles for a government against whom a no-confidence motion is pending in the national assembly. 

Despite criticism for creating one of the biggest constitutional crises, Imran Khan appeared defiant about his brazen moves and even mocked the opposition, suggesting they were “taken aback” by his moves. 

“I want to remind you all that I told you yesterday evening that don’t panic… the opposition still wondering as to what happened to them…..I ask people to prepare for the next elections. Thank God, a conspiracy to topple the government has failed,” Khan said in his address to the nation.

For Khan, overcoming the legal hurdles would be an uphill task. After losing the number game, Khan seems more inclined in a  mid-term poll, something which is also evident from his high-decibel anti-American rhetoric, an easy sell in Pakistan's domestic politics. 

“Your coup attempt will not succeed,” Bilawal Bhutto, the leader of the opposition party PPP, said in a tweet, in response to Khan’s allegation that opposition parties are fearing early elections. 

(SAM)