Pakistan National Assembly dissolved, elections within 90 days: 10 updates
1 min read 03 Apr 2022, 02:49 PM IST'Prepare for the election!' said Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan today. The preparation for a caretaker government has begun
PremiumPakistan Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib on Sunday said that fresh elections in the country will be held within 90 days.
"Prepare for the election!" said Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan today. The preparation for a caretaker government has begun.
Here's your 10-point development to this big story:
- Pakistan President Arif Alvi today dissolved the National Assembly on the advice of PM Khan, minutes after the embattled leader of the ruling party advised him to call for fresh elections.
- The Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting said that President Alvi has dissolved the National Assembly as per the advice of the prime minister. He said the election will be held within 90 days.
- Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said that the Cabinet has been dissolved. "Under article 224 of the constitution, prime minister will continue his responsibilities, the Cabinet has been dissolved," Chaudhry said in a tweet.
- Prime Minister Khan, who had effectively lost majority in the 342-member National Assembly, earlier made a brief address to the nation after a stormy parliament session was adjourned by Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri.
- Khan congratulated the nation for the no-trust motion being dismissed, saying the deputy speaker had "rejected the attempt of changing the regime [and] the foreign conspiracy".
- "The nation should prepare for the new elections," he said, adding that the no-confidence was actually a "foreign agenda".
- Khan said that he has advised President Alvi to dissolve the National Assembly and call for fresh elections.
- Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, head of the opposition Pakistan People's Party, promised a sit-in at the parliament and told reporters, "We are also moving to the Supreme Court today."
- The opposition blames Khan for failing to revive the economy and crack down on corruption. He has said, without citing evidence, that the move to oust him was orchestrated by the United States, a claim Washington denies.
- Khan lost his majority in parliament after allies quit his coalition government and he suffered a spate of defections within his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party.
