United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said that it is important to respect Pakistan’s democratic process and abide by the constitution in resolving differences. 

Asked about the constitutional crisis overshadowing Pakistan, Guterres’s Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said on Monday, “For now, we will simply underscore the utmost importance of respecting democratic processes and institutions and resolving differences in accordance with the Constitution of Pakistan”.

Facing defeat in the National Assembly on a no-confidence motion, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan has had the body dissolved after Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri blocked the opposition move.

The opposition has challenged the Pakistan Assembly dissolution before the Supreme Court, which heard the case on Monday but did not give a verdict.

If the Court decides in favour of Khan, elections will have to be held for the Assembly within three months.

President Arif Alvi who formally dissolved the Assembly at Khan's request has said that Khan would remain prime minister till a caretaker was appointed pending the election.

(SAM)