No Pakistani prime minister has ever completed a full five-year term in office.
Islamabad:
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan stumped his rivals Sunday by calling for snap elections and getting the presidential nod for the dissolution of Parliament, shortly after the no-trust vote against him was dismissed.
Here are the Top 10 points in this big story:
- In a short address to the nation, Imran Khan asked the people of Pakistan to "Get ready for elections". "The conspiracy to take down this government has collapsed," he added. The election will be held in 90 days.
- The no-trust motion against the Pakistan Prime Minister was dismissed by the Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri, who termed it against the Constitution and rules of Pakistan.
- The move was termed "unconstitutional" by the Opposition parties which approached the apex court to legally challenge the decision.
- "We are going to challenge the ruling by the deputy speaker and advice by the prime minister to dissolve parliament in the Supreme Court," said Shehbaz Sharif, tipped to replace Khan if the no-confidence motion had succeeded.
- Former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif said that Mr Khan and all others involved in the "conspiracy" against the nation are guilty of high treason and should be tried for desecrating the Constitution.
- The opposition and government immediately filed a slew of petitions and briefs against and for the developments, with the supreme court saying arguments would be heard on Monday.
- The Pakistan government issued a notification announcing that Imran Khan no longer holds the position of Prime Minister of the country.
- Mr Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party effectively lost majority in the 342-member assembly last week when a key coalition partner said its seven lawmakers would vote with the opposition. More than a dozen lawmakers from the ruling party also indicated that they would cross the floor.
- Pakistan's powerful army said it has "absolutely nothing" to do with the prevailing political situation in the country. Pakistan Army chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa has at least twice met Prime Minister Khan last week.
- No Pakistani prime minister has ever completed a full five-year term in office.
