Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Thursday overturned Prime Minister Imran Khan’s move to dissolve Parliament, setting the stage for a no-confidence vote widely expected to remove him from office and offering a major victory to Opposition leaders.

In its verdict, the court agreed that Khan’s move had violated the Constitution and ordered that the no-confidence vote take place on Saturday at 10am (local time). The court ordered the election of a new Prime Minister if the no-confidence motion succeeded.

While no Prime Minister in Pakistan has ever completed a full five-year term in office, Khan would be the first to be removed in a no-confidence vote.

Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, heading a five-member bench that included Justices Ijazul Ahsan, Mohammad Ali Mazhar Miankhel, Munib Akhtar and Jamal Khan Mandokhel, declared as unconstitutional a controversial ruling by the deputy Speaker, who is associated with Khan’s party, that had rejected the no-confidence motion in Parliament.

In a unanimous verdict, the five-judge bench also declared as “unconstitutional” the advice by Khan to President Arif Alvi to dissolve the National Assembly.

Khan, the cricket star turned politician, and his allies dissolved Parliament on Sunday, effectively blocking a no-confidence vote.

The move plunged the country into a constitutional crisis and sharply escalated the political instability that has embroiled Pakistan for weeks. Amid the turmoil, the Pakistani rupee sank to an all-time low on Thursday.

The prospect of Khan being ousted by Opposition parties, former allies and defectors from within his own party in Parliament is likely to damage his ability to rally widespread support ahead of the next elections. The election commission announced on Thursday that the general election could be held in October at the earliest.

The Supreme Court ruling seemed to turn the political tide for the Opposition parties, which had been taken aback when Khan evaded the no-confidence vote on Sunday. In the days since, Khan, a populist leader, had dominated the political narrative and rallied support around his allegations of an American-led conspiracy against him.

Now, it is likely that both the Opposition and Khan would turn their attention to new elections. The polls will be a referendum on Khan’s political brinkmanship after a public rebuke to his leadership from both the country’s courts and lawmakers, including some of his political allies.

The elections will also test whether the coalition of Opposition parties — typically at loggerheads, but teaming up around the goal of the no-confidence vote — can remain united.

In a country where the military controls the main levers of power, the elections are widely seen as an opportunity for military leaders to choose and elevate new political partners. Khan’s relationship with key military leaders soured after he refused to back the appointment of a new chief of the country’s intelligence agency last year.

New York Times News Service and PTI