Pakistan president Arif Alvi on Sunday dissolved the national assembly and the provincial assemblies on the advice of prime minister Imran Khan. This means that a caretaker government will be put in place in the next eight days and the elections are to be held within three months.
Pakistan minister Fawad Chaudhry tweeted that the federal cabinet has been dissolved and Imran Khan will continue his duties under Article 224 of the Pakistani constitution. As per this clause, on dissolution of the Assembly on completion of the term or if President dissolves it in his discretion that electorate is necessary (Article 58), a caretaker cabinet shall be appointed under a care-taker prime minister. The care-taker PM shall be appointed by the President in consultation with the incumbent PM and the leader of opposition in the outgoing assembly.
The move comes after the no-confidence motion against the Imran Khan was dismissed by the deputy speaker in the National Assembly. The Punjab Assembly also met for six minutes and has been adjourned till April 6. The Pakistan Army has denied role in the events that unfolded in the national assembly.
The opposition has called the rejection of no-confidence motion unconstitutional and declared it would move the Supreme Court.
“It is nothing short of a high treason. IK has pushed the country into anarchy. Niazi & his cohort will not be allowed to go scot-free. There will be consequences for blatant & brazen violation of the Constitution. Hope SC will play it's role to uphold the Constitution,” Shehbaz Sharif, the leader of opposition in National Assembly, tweeted.
“Government has violated the Constitution, didn't allow voting on the no-confidence motion. The united opposition is not leaving parliament. Our lawyers are on their way to Supreme Court,” Pakistan People's Party chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said in a video message.
Soon after the no-confidence motion was rejected Prime Minister in his address to the nation not only called the people to prepare for elections but reiterated that the foreign conspiracy to topple his government had failed.
"The no-confidence motion was a foreign conspiracy against us. The nation should decide who should govern them... not the corrupt people who conspire with foreign powers... Prepare for elections. You will decide," Khan said.
In the history of Pakistan's politics, no prime minister has completed a full-term.