Pakistan President Arif Alvi dissolves National Assembly on PM Imran Khan’s advise, elections in 90 days

Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib informed that President Arif Alvi has dissolved the National Assembly on Pakistan PM Imran Khan's advice, adding that the elections will be held within 90 days in the country.

File Photo (ANI)

New Delhi: After a no-confidence motion against Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was dismissed on Sunday (April 3), President Arif Alvi dissolved the National Assembly on the advice of the embattled PM, PTI reported. 

Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib informed today that President Alvi has dissolved the National Assembly, adding that the elections will be held within 90 days in the country.

Fawad Chaudhry, Information Minister, further said that the Cabinet has been dissolved but PM Imran Khan would continue to perform his duties.

No-trust vote dismissed, Imran Khan addresses nation

Earlier today, Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri dismissed the no-confidence motion moved by the Opposition against Khan, saying it is against the Constitution and rules of Pakistan leading to furore among the opposition leaders.

After the parliament session was adjourned by Deputy Speaker Suri, Imran Khan, who had lost the majority in the 342-member National Assembly, addressed the nation and alleged the no-confidence was a "foreign agenda". He said Suri "rejected the attempt of changing the regime [and] the foreign conspiracy".

"Prepare for elections. No corrupt forces will decide what the future of the country will be. When the assemblies will be dissolved, the procedure for the next elections and the caretaker government will begin," PM Khan said in his address, as per PTI. 

Khan also said that he has urged President Alvi to dissolve the National Assembly and call for fresh elections. Notably, no Pakistani PM has ever completed a full five-year term in office.

Opposition's reaction

The enraged opposition termed the process to reject no-confidence against PM Khan against the constitution and refused to leave the premises of the parliament house.

"We are going to challenge the ruling by the deputy speaker and advice by the prime minister to dissolve parliament in the Supreme Court," Leader of the Opposition in the parliament Shehbaz Sharif said. 

Calling the dismissal of the no-trust vote "undemocratic", Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said, "What Imran Khan has done is against the laws. We're approaching our lawyers. The speaker has also done an undemocratic work. Imran Khan has exposed himself through this move. We will be present inside the National Assembly until this decision is reversed. He is fleeing against the no-trust motion seeing defeat." 

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Marriyum Aurangzeb called Imran Khan a "traitor" and said: "Imran Khan is a traitor (gaddar). He has taken an unconstitutional step and we are now protesting in National Assembly and will not go anywhere until this decision is cancelled".

(With PTI inputs)