The Supreme Court of Pakistan’s decision against the Deputy Speaker’s ruling for no-confidence vote against the Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan bears testimony to the success of the constitution of Pakistan.

But, the Supreme Court of Pakistan’s decision shows how the justice system in Pakistan differentiates between powerful politicians and the pleas of the common people (“Pakistan’s Supreme Court rules against PM Imran, restores National Assembly,” April 8, Gulf Today website).

Pakistan’s Supreme Court (SC) has set aside the National Assembly’s Deputy Speaker’s ruling to dismiss the no-trust resolution against Prime Minister Imran Khan and the subsequent dissolution of the NA by the president on the PM’s advice, with all five judges unanimously voting 5-0 against it. The decision came after four days of hearing by the top court over the major political crisis. Imran will now face a no-confidence vote by lawmakers — the vote that he had tried to sidestep. The assembly will probably convene to vote on Saturday. The opposition has said it has 172 votes in the 340-seat house to oust Khan, after several members of his own party and a key coalition partner defected.

Almost 20 days before the suo moto action against the Deputy Speaker’s ruling on the no-confidence vote against the Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan, the government had filed a presidential reference seeking the top court, Supreme Court of Pakistan’s, advice regarding disciplinary action against the members of Parliament who change their loyalty and wanted to vote against their party in Parliament.

The government of Pakistan had filed the presidential petition because Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s members of Parliament allegedly changed their loyalty in return for a huge amount of money and are ready to vote against their own party in the parliament.  But the Supreme Court of Pakistan didn’t show any interest in the petition and was not in a hurry to advise the government regarding the floor crossing disaster, but quick action has been taken on the National Assembly’s Deputy Speaker’s ruling to dismiss the no-trust resolution against Prime Minister Imran Khan and the subsequent dissolution of the NA by the president on the PM’s advice.  Now, it seems that in Pakistan it is not difficult to change the civilian government. What you need is some billions of rupees and just purchase the loyalties of 15 or 20 members of Parliament and de-seat the elected prime minister of Pakistan at any time. And now people and other countries who want to change the regime in Pakistan have the approval of the Supreme Court of Pakistan to do so as well.

Qasim Jalal,
By email