Imran Khan’s maneuver to stay in power has failed. Pakistani lawmakers were preparing to bring down his government on Saturday (April 9th). This vote on a motion of censure comes as the Supreme Court on Thursday inflicted a stinging setback on the Pakistani Prime Minister. The latter had tried to escape, four days earlier, this opposition motion by dissolving the National Assembly and calling for early general elections.
The five magistrates of the highest court in the country had unanimously ruled that the ploy to prevent the vote of no confidence was unconstitutional and that all subsequent decisions had no legal effect. The National Assembly had therefore been re-established, as had the government.
At 69, the former glory of cricket can no longer escape his dismissal: he lost his majority in the lower house of parliament, a victim of defections in his own ranks and in the coalition that had brought him into office. 2018 at the head of this country of 220 million people with a nuclear weapon.
“I accept the Court’s decision and respect the Pakistani judicial system,” The prime minister said on Friday night in a keynote speech that he would not recognize an opposition government. He also called on his supporters to come down “Peacefully” on the street, Sunday. He took advantage of this to conspire with his two main opponents, the Muslim League of Pakistan (PML-N) and the Pakistani People’s Party (PPP), two formations that have shared power with the military for decades and are now united in their struggle against the head of government.
Imran Khan also regretted that the country’s highest court had failed to take into account his allegations of“Interference” against the United States. To justify his refusal to submit to a motion of censure, he had accused Washington of plotting an international conspiracy to overthrow him, due to its ties with China and Russia.
Debt, inflation and unemployment
The opposition, made up of two historically rival clans, those of the families of two former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto – currently allies with an Islamist party – accuses them of being responsible for the economic crisis. major that crosses the country. Debt, inflation and unemployment have deteriorated significantly, and Imran Khan has had to rely on the International Monetary Fund. In recent days, the Pakistani rupee has collapsed.
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