The Pakistan Supreme Court on Tuesday sought the National Assembly records of the no-confidence motion filed against Prime Minister Imran Khan before adjourning the hearing till Wednesday.
National Assembly deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri on Sunday ruled that the motion was linked with a “foreign conspiracy” to topple the government and hence was not maintainable. Minutes later, President Arif Alvi dissolved the Assembly on the advice of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The apex court within hours took suo motu notice of the Assembly’s ruling and a five-member bench started hearing the case on Monday. The bench is headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial and includes Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail.
On Tuesday, the court directed the government to present minutes of the proceedings in the National Assembly after the no-confidence motion was presented by the Opposition. Bandial said that the court did not interfere in matters of state and foreign policy and only wanted to ascertain the constitutionality of the steps taken by Suri.