Pakistan's Top Court Hears PM's Defense for Blocking Attempts to Remove Him

On Wednesday, lawyers for Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan opened their defence before the Supreme Court in his bid to prevent an opposition attempt to depose him, a move his detractors believe was illegal and has ushered in political chaos.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan heard arguments on Monday about the legality of a move to reject a no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Imran Khan, who dissolved parliament and called for new elections, causing political chaos in the country.

Following a two-and-a-half-hour hearing, the court adjourned the case until Tuesday afternoon, when a decision on the prime minister’s fate will be made.

Before the combined opposition filed a petition against what they call “an unconstitutional act” by National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri, the Supreme Court took suo moto cognizance of the case.

Suri, a close ally of the prime minister, dismissed the move, which Khan was generally anticipated to lose after the opposition put together enough legislative backing to topple him.

The motion was unconstitutional, according to the deputy speaker, because a “foreign power was interfering in Pakistan’s internal affairs, with Prime Minister Khan as its primary target.”

Khan, whose five-year tenure was set to expire next year, alleged that the no-confidence resolution was part of a foreign government-led plot to prevent him from visiting Russia on the day of the Ukraine incursion.

On at least two times, the cricketer-turned-politician stated that the United States was behind the moves to depose him. The charges have been refuted by the US government.

Former members of his administration are now publicly condemning the US for “interfering” in Pakistani affairs.

They alluded to a “threat letter” sent home by Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States on March 7, a day before the motion was introduced.

“The Pakistani ambassador and whatever their representative was, Donald Lu.” “It was a formal meeting with sitting note-takers from both sides,” Khan remarked after the no-confidence vote was defeated in a televised address to his party leaders.

Lu is a US diplomat who works for President Joe Biden’s cabinet as Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs.