SUPREME COURT VERDICT IN THE NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION AGAINST PRIME MINISTER IMRAN KHAN: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Authors

  • Muhammad Irshad Teacher in Elementary and Secondary Education, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
  • Roheen Zafar Teacher in Elementary and Secondary Education, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Keywords:

Resolution of No Confidence (RNC), Cypher, Foreign Conspiracy, Supreme Court, Speaker Ruling, Suo Moto, Article 6

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to assess the role of the Supreme Court verdict critically, shedding light on both its strengths and weaknesses. On April 3, 2022, the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, Mr. Qasim Suri, issued a ruling. He rejected the No-Confidence Resolution presented against Prime Minister Imran Khan under Article 05 of the Constitution of Pakistan. Additionally, he declared the Resolution as a foreign conspiracy supported by a 'Cypher.' Subsequently, the matter was brought before the Supreme Court of Pakistan, which set aside the Speaker's ruling and reinstated the Resolution. This development has triggered a debate among legal experts, politicians, and commentators, with some endorsing and others criticizing various aspects of the verdict. The research for this paper relies on the court's verdict and orders, public access interviews with different legal experts and journalists, articles, editorials, and news reports. Both positive and negative facets of the verdict are meticulously examined and highlighted.

Author Biographies

Muhammad Irshad, Teacher in Elementary and Secondary Education, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Teacher in Elementary and Secondary Education, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Roheen Zafar, Teacher in Elementary and Secondary Education, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Teacher in Elementary and Secondary Education, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

References

Daily Jang. (2022, April 10). The Federal Cabinet approved showing the alleged threatening letter to the Speaker, Chairman Senate Chief Justice. Daily Jang, p. 1.

Dawn.com, & Bhatti, H. (2022, April 4). All orders and actions initiated by PM, president subject to court order: SC. DAWN.COM. Retrieved from https://www.dawn.com/news/1683235

Dawn.com, & Bhatti, H. (2022, April 8). Supreme Court restores National Assembly, orders no-confidence vote to be held on Saturday. DAWN.COM. Retrieved from https://www.dawn.com/news/1683857

Dawn.com, & Chaudhry, F. (2022, April 10). Imran Khan loses no-trust vote, prime ministerial term comes to unceremonious end. DAWN.COM. Retrieved from https://www.dawn.com/news/1684168

Dawn.com, & Chaudhry, F. (2022, March 28). NA session adjourned till March 31 after tabling of no-confidence resolution against PM Imran. DAWN.COM. Retrieved from https://www.dawn.com/news/1682250

Dawn.com, & Gurmani, N. (2022, March 26). NA session adjourned without tabling of no-trust motion against PM. DAWN.COM. Retrieved from https://www.dawn.com/news/1681773

Dawn.com, & Khan, S. (2022, April 4). President Alvi dissolves National Assembly on PM Imran's advice. DAWN.COM. Retrieved from https://www.dawn.com/news/1683230

Dawn.com, & Khan, S. (2022, April 9). Lt Gen (r) Tariq Khan excuses himself from govt commission to probe 'foreign conspiracy' DAWN.COM. Retrieved from https://www.dawn.com/news/1684043

Dawn.com, Gurmani, N., & Chaudhry, F. (2022, April 8). NA speaker dismisses no-trust move against PM Imran, terms it contradictory to Article 5. DAWN.COM. Retrieved from https://www.dawn.com/news/1683067

Dawn.com, Khan, S. (2022, April 1). NSC decides to issue strong demarche to unnamed country over 'threat letter' DAWN.COM. Retrieved from https://www.dawn.com/news/1682723

Dawn.com. (2022, April 8). Govt forms commission to probe 'foreign conspiracy': Fawad. DAWN.COM. Retrieved from https://www.dawn.com/news/1684037

Dawn.com. (2022, March 20). Speaker Asad Qaiser summons crucial NA session on no-trust resolution on March 25. Dawn.Com. Retrieved from https://www.dawn.com/news/1680931

Dawn.com. (2022, March 29). PM Imran ready to show letter on 'foreign conspiracy' to CJP: Asad Umar. DAWN.COM. Retrieved from https://www.dawn.com/news/1682411/pm-imran-ready-to-show-letter-on-foreign-conspiracy-to-cjp-asad-umar

Dawn.com. (2022, March 8). Opposition submits no-trust motion against PM Imran. Dawn.Com. Retrieved from https://www.dawn.com/news/1678940/opposition-submits-no-trust-motion-against-pm-imran

Desk, W. (2022, April 12). SC has received threat letter, says Deputy NA Speaker Qasim Suri. Geo News. Retrieved from https://www.geo.tv/latest/411105-sc-has-received-threat-letter-says-deputy-na-speaker-qasim-suri

Dunya News. (2022, July 14). Dunya Kamran Khan Kay Sath | 14 July 2022 | Dunya News [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znPZbCC96lw&feature=youtu.be

G. (2022, July 14). Live with Dr. Shahid Masood | GNN | 14 July 2022 [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXeKbUil8eg&feature=youtu.be

Geo News. (2022, March 8). Geo News Headlines [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/r5cphofzQRU

Geo News. (2022b, July 14). Another blow to Imran Khan from the Supreme Court - Capital Talk - Hamid Mir - 14 July 2022 [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-i6cWW8g6m4&feature=youtu.be

Government of Pakistan (1973). Constitution of Pakistan. Islamabad: Government of Pakistan

https://www.supremecourt.gov.pk/downloads_judgements/s.m.c._1_2022_detailed.pdf

https://www.supremecourt.gsov.pk/downloads_judgements/s.m.c._1_2022_07042022.pdf

Inam, U. (2022, March 8). PM Meeting with Youtubers. The Nation. Retrieved from https://nation.com.pk/2022/03/08/pm-meeting-with-youtubers/

Judgement of Supreme Court of Pakistan (July 14,2022). Retrieved from

President of Pakistan Letter no. DO (P)- 1/2022. (May 12, 2022)

Supreme Court of Pakistan Short Order. (April, 07, 2022) Retrieved from

The Express Tribune. (2022, April 30). Imran urges CJP, President Alvi to investigate “foreign conspiracy.” The Express Tribune. Retrieved from https://tribune.com.pk/story/2354880/imran-urges-cjp-president-alvi-to-investigate-foreign-conspiracy

The Express Tribune. (2022, March 15). PM Imran confers with AGP on no-trust move. The Express Tribune. Retrieved from https://tribune.com.pk/story/2347935/pm-imran-confers-with-agp-on-no-trust-move

The Express Tribune. (2022, March 17). ‘24 PTI lawmakers’ surface from Sindh House amid horse-trading allegations. The Express Tribune. Retrieved from https://tribune.com.pk/story/2348439/24-pti-lawmakers-surface-from-sindh-house-amid-horse-trading-allegations

The Express Tribune. (2022, March 19). PTI dissidents issued show-cause notices. The Express Tribune. Retrieved from https://tribune.com.pk/story/2348717/pti-dissidents-issued-show-cause-notices

The Express Tribune. (2022, March 29). Imran directs MNAs to stay away from no-trust session. The Express Tribune. Retrieved from https://tribune.com.pk/story/2350152/imran-directs-mnas-to-stay-away-from-no-trust-session

The News international & Yusuf, N. (2022, May 12). President Alvi urges CJP to form commission on regime change conspiracy in Pakistan. The News International. Retrieved from https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/957194-president-alvi-urges-cjp-to-form-commission-on-regime-change-conspiracy

Tv, S. (2022, July 14). 7 se 8 with Kiran Naz - SAMAATV - 14 July 2022 [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teuXaKmveG0&feature=youtu.be

Tv, S. (2022, July 14). PTI ke wakeel se kahan ghalti hoi - Hamid Mir ne andar ki baat bata di - Awaz -SAMAATV- 14 July 2022 [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMvx1nfJRCc&feature=youtu.be

News HD. (2022, July 14). Hard Talk Pakistan with Dr Moeed Pirzada | Habib Akram | 14 July 2022 | 92NewsHD [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XcfOEaFIh0&feature=youtu.be

News HD. (2022, July 16). Sazish ya Madakhlat? Aitzaz Ahsan blasting analysis | Article 6 on Imran Khan? | 92NewsHD [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT9tdMG-WMs&feature=youtu.be

Downloads

Published

2023-06-28

How to Cite

Muhammad Irshad, & Roheen Zafar. (2023). SUPREME COURT VERDICT IN THE NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION AGAINST PRIME MINISTER IMRAN KHAN: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS. PAKISTAN, 62(01), 98–120. Retrieved from https://pscjournal.pk/index.php/pakistan/article/view/100

Issue

Section

Articles