ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Pakistan’s embattled prime minister was dealt a political blow on Thursday night in his attempt to cling to power when the country’s Supreme Court overruled its efforts to dissolve parliament and four days earlier, rescinding a no-confidence vote — a move that exacerbated already strained relations with the United States.
Imran Khan, who was trying to stay in power as prime minister and salvage his faltering government, has accused US officials of backing an international conspiracy against him, linked to his domestic opponents, a coalition of opposition parties and defectors from the United States own ranks, in cahoots. He had staged a plan to cancel the vote and dissolve the legislature, sparking turmoil and insecurity across the country of 220 million.
But in a unanimous vote, the Supreme Court ordered Parliament restored immediately and a vote of no confidence held on Saturday. Khan’s opponents had already garnered enough votes to oust him from power when Sunday’s vote was abruptly called off after the legislature’s spokesman ruled it was illegal and said its supporters were backed by a foreign power.
When the court decision was announced on Thursday, cheers and shouts erupted from opposition leaders and supporters who had been waiting outside the courthouse as darkness fell over Pakistan’s capital and hundreds of police barricaded surrounding streets.
“The court saved Pakistan and the constitution with this historic verdict,” said Shehbaz Sharif, leader of the opposition Pakistan Muslim League, who testified during three days of court hearings on the issue. “It will strengthen parliament and the sovereignty of the country. … Our struggle was for the supremacy of the constitution. We are beyond happy and thank God for that.”
in one Tweet after the verdict, Khan said he will address the nation on Friday. “I always have and will fight for Pak to the last ball,” declared the former cricket champion. If Khan is voted out of power on Saturday, Sharif, a veteran politician from one of Pakistan’s two major parties, is likely to be appointed interim prime minister and then run for election to the post.
The Supreme Court decision, which firmly rejected Khan’s attempt to bypass the legislative process, appeared to reinforce a sense of stability and legality in the country’s weak democratic system, which has suffered from repeated interventions by the military and other government forces since it was established in 1947.
The ruling has already been hailed by some US analysts as a reassuring step back from injury after Khan’s allegations of US conspiracy against him pushed the tentative relationship between the two former Cold War allies into an unprecedented state of confrontation. At the same time, some have warned that any new government in Pakistan will face the same problems, particularly soaring inflation, which have cost Khan much of his initial popularity.
Michael Kugelman, an expert on Pakistan at the Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, said last week that Khan’s actions dealt a “devastating blow” to US-Pakistan relations and that “getting back into business” would be extremely difficult come as usual.” On Thursday night, he said even if tensions eased, any new government would soon “get a rude awakening.” For Khan’s victorious opponents, he added: “The honeymoon won’t last long.”
From the start of his tenure, Khan, 69, began to distance himself from the United States and seek closer ties with China, which has become Pakistan Major investor and ally. He further angered officials in Washington by hailing the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan last year and saying he would never let his country become a “slave” to foreign powers.
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The charismatic politician came to power in 2018 after pledging to eradicate corruption, bring justice to the poor and build Pakistan into a proud, independent country. But he stumbled as a leader and lost popular support as consumer prices soared. He broke with political allies, emboldened opposition parties and began to lose support from Pakistan’s powerful military establishment, which had backed his candidacy.
Ten days ago, Khan’s anti-American rhetoric took a new turn. Speaking to a crowd of supporters, he pulled a paper from his pocket and claimed it was evidence of a “foreign conspiracy” to overthrow his government. Shortly thereafter, he blamed the United States and claimed that a US diplomat had made threats against his government during a meeting with the Pakistani ambassador in Washington in early March.
Khan never released the document, and a State Department spokesman, Ned Price, said earlier this week that “there is no truth to the allegations”. He and this US policy was to support “the peaceful upholding of constitutional democratic principles” in Pakistan and other countries. “We don’t support one party over another.”
Pakistan’s National Security Committee said it reviewed the document, which is described as a telegram sent by the ambassador about the meeting. She then issued a statement saying the US official had used “undiplomatic language” at their meeting and that this constituted “unacceptable interference” in Pakistan’s internal affairs US Embassy and filed a complaint, according to a US official. He spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to the press.
But Pakistan’s military leaders distanced themselves from the controversy, and on Sunday, as Khan arranged for the parliamentary vote to be canceled over the alleged US-backed conspiracy, the top military spokesman was quick to issue a statement saying the institution had “nothing to do with it.” to do”. the events of the day. Meanwhile, the army chief, Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, gave a speech last week in which he said Pakistan and the United States had “excellent relations.”
An irony of the Supreme Court’s decision is that it formally reinstates Khan as Prime Minister and restores full functioning of Parliament, noting that both branches of government have been illegally shut down on flimsy grounds and must continue to function, i.e. the “no-confidence vote”. can take place as planned.
Husain Haqqani, a former Pakistani ambassador to Washington and a senior staffer at the Hudson Institute in Washington, said late Thursday that the court’s strong legal rejection of Khan’s actions paved the way for a more accountable government to win power, and also for improved relations with the United States.
“Khan’s incendiary rhetoric has destroyed prospects for cooperation,” Haqqani said, citing his support for the Taliban and his blanket refusal to allow US bases in the country. Even if the bilateral relationship “won’t go back to the days when they were close allies,” he said, “a more serious government can at least act and work together on areas of common interest.”
Shaiq Hussain and John Hudson in Washington contributed to this report.