Pak political crisis: Assembly dissolved, elections in 90 days, Imran to continue as caretaker PM

Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib said that President Alvi has dissolved the National Assembly as per the advice of the prime minister. He said the election will be held within 90 days.

Islamabad: Pakistan President Arif Alvi on Sunday dissolved the National Assembly on the advice of Prime Minister Imran Khan, minutes after the embattled leader of the ruling party advised him to call for fresh elections. Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib said that President Alvi has dissolved the National Assembly as per the advice of the prime minister. He said the election will be held within 90 days.

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said that the Cabinet has been dissolved. Prime Minister Khan, who had effectively lost the majority in the 342-member National Assembly, earlier made a brief address to the nation after a stormy parliament session was adjourned by Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri. Khan congratulated the nation for the no-trust motion being dismissed, saying the deputy speaker had "rejected the attempt of changing the regime [and] the foreign conspiracy".

"Prepare for elections. No corrupt forces will decide what the future of the country will be. When the assemblies will be dissolved, the procedure for the next elections and the caretaker government will begin," the 69-year-old cricketer-turned-politician said. Khan said that he has advised President Alvi to dissolve the National Assembly and call for fresh elections.

Earlier, Deputy Speaker Suri dismissed a no-confidence motion against Khan, terming it a contradiction of Article 5 of the Constitution. Suri chaired the crucial session after opposition parties filed a no-confidence motion against Speaker Asad Qaiser. Opposition lawmakers, who earlier appeared confident of the success of the no-trust move as they made their way to Parliament House, protested against the decision. The Opposition parties needed 172 members of the 342-member National Assembly to orchestrate the defeat of Khan. They had already claimed the support of 177 members, more than the needed strength to oust the prime minister.

Khan, who came to power in 2018 with promises to create a Naya Pakistan', is at a critical juncture of his political career as he has lost the majority after defection from his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. Two of his allied parties also withdrew their support and joined the ranks of the rejuvenated Opposition.