Pakistan SC takes notice of National Assembly's dissolution

Islamabad, April 3:  The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Sunday took suo motu notice of dissolution of the National Assembly by the Pak President, media reports said.

The apex court has formed a special bench to look into the matter. The special bench will review the matter.

President Dr Arif Alvi had dissolved the National Assembly on the advice of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Dunya News reported.

Earlier, Imran Khan had proposed President Dr Arif Ali to dissolve the assembly after Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Qasim Suri rejected the no-confidence motion submitted by the opposition, terming it against Article 5 of the Constitution.

Opposition's hopes of ousting the premier were dashed after Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Qasim Suri rejected a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan, terming it against Article 5 of the Constitution.

Shortly after the session began, Pak Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said that loyalty to the state was the basic duty of every citizen under Article 5.

"On March 7, our official ambassador was invited to a meeting attended by the representatives of other countries. The meeting was informed that a motion against PM Imran was being presented," Fawad Chaudhry said.

"We were told that relations with Pakistan were dependent on the success of the no-confidence motion. We were told that if the motion fails, then the upcoming path for Pakistan would be very difficult. This is an operation for a regime change by a foreign government," he alleged.