By Shakir Husain
NEW DELHI, April 4 (NNN-Bernama) — Pakistan’s President Arif Alvi has asked Imran Khan to continue as Prime Minister until the appointment of a caretaker premier, following the dissolution of the National Assembly.
The incumbent shall continue to hold office till a caretaker prime minister is appointed by the president, according to a notification issued by Alvi’s office on Monday.
Pakistan’s politics took a dramatic turn on Sunday after a no-confidence motion against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party government was disallowed.
The Pakistan National Assembly’s deputy speaker Qasim Khan Suri disallowed the opposition’s no-confidence motion against Imran’s government, citing a foreign-backed conspiracy behind the vote.
Acting on the prime minister’s advice later, the president dissolved the house so that fresh elections could be organised.
Opposition parties protested against Suri’s ruling and organised a mock no-confidence motion in the house against the government.
Shehbaz Sharif, the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly and brother of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, accused Imran of pushing Pakistan “into anarchy”.
The opposition alliance supported Shehbaz to succeed Imran as prime minister.
The Pakistan Supreme Court is hearing the matter involving Sunday’s political developments.
Imran has appealed to his political opponents to accept the decision to dissolve the National Assembly and seek a fresh electoral mandate.
— NNN-BERNAMA