The Pakistani Parliament will probably vote to dissolve the government today, with Shehbaz Sharif, the brother of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, assuming the reins. Sharif is accused of corruption and lives in exile in the UK. His reelection is expected to take place on April 16, but there is uncertainty over whether or not it will happen. The political crisis is likely to last at least a week.
The ruling by the supreme court in April could overturn the government’s decision to dissolve parliament and force lawmakers to reconvene. In 1988, when the government dissolved the assembly, Muhammad Khan Junejo took the government to court. Although it ruled that the government had dissolved the assembly unconstitutionally, elections were held anyway. The prime minister, however, has said that Khan’s anti-American rhetoric could turn political rallies into flashpoints.
Khan’s strategy is a typical one: rally his supporters around anti-American and anti-NATO sentiments. While the United States has denied any involvement in Pakistan’s political crisis, some experts in South Asia say that the president-elect is unlikely to make the issue a priority in his first term. While it’s difficult to see why the U.S. might want to intervene in the conflict, Imran Khan has successfully mobilized his “base” by using anti-American rhetoric.
The recent election in Pakistan reflects the broader political crisis in Pakistan. The military has a long history of intervening to overthrow elected leaders. Khan’s opponents have accused the military of staging a soft coup. In the past, the military has forced the ousting of prime ministers if they don’t maintain their support. In this case, the Supreme Court made the right decision. The opposition has come together to form a powerful coalition to stage a no-confidence bid.
While Imran Khan has performed reasonably well in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic, some of his opponents blame him for causing the raging inflation in Pakistan. However, that is a global economic issue. Imran Khan has brought optimism and confidence to the office. He is Pakistan’s most compelling international presence since the brilliant charismatic founder of PPP, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Unfortunately, many of his opponents are the descendants of that charismatic, brilliant politician.
The political crisis in Pakistan’s parliament was accompanied by intense rhetoric and political theater. The prime minister called opposition members traitors, and supporters shouted that they are friends of the United States. He eventually asked the president to dissolve the parliament, but the opposition was furious and demanded a free vote. Neither the president nor the opposition were happy. Despite this, Pakistan’s political system is intact. Imran Khan has yet to face a political defeat.
Imran Khan’s tenure as prime minister ended on Sunday, and the country is now in the midst of constitutional chaos. The Pakistani parliament will select an acting prime minister on Monday. On Sunday, a no-confidence motion against Imran Khan failed to pass, but the opposition is not taking the threat seriously. They are prepared to fight the no-confidence motion against the prime minister. This could put the country on a fragile political path unless the ruling party makes the decision to dismiss him.
