Day of high drama: How events unfolded in Pakistan today

NEW DELHI: The drama in Pakistan National Assembly ended almost as soon as it began.

The atmosphere was charged up with the Opposition-sponsored no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan set to be taken up by the house, and a likely voting on the same.

There were speculations that the opposition members might be prevented from reaching Parliament, or the trust vote process interrupted by engineered chaos.

However it was all peaceful and orderly as the session convened. This is how the day unfolded:

Inside parliament

Deputy speaker Qasin Khan Suri chaired the crucial session after opposition parties filed a no-confidence motion against Speaker Asad Qaiser.

He allowed infrmation minister Fawad Chaudhry to speak first.

"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 Pakistan's path would be very difficult. This is an operation for a regime change by a foreign government," he alleged.

The minister questioned how this could be allowed and called on the deputy speaker Suri to decide the constitutionality of the no-trust move.

Suri rejected the no-confidence motion, terming it against Article 5 of the Constitution.

"No foreign power shall be allowed to topple an elected government through a conspiracy," he said, adding that the points raised by the minister were "valid".

According to Article 5:

Loyalty to the State is the basic duty of every citizen
Obedience to the Constitution and law is the [inviolable] obligation of every citizen wherever he may be and of every other person for the time being within Pakistan

Opposition members rose up in protest as supporters of the government exited the house.

Here's how the numbers were stacked up against Imran Khan after several allies exited his coaltion to join opposition ranks.

Imran addresses nation again

Imran Khan was live on television soon after.

He congratulated Parliament for foiling what he called efforts of a foreign government to bring about a regime change in Pakistan.

He also said that he is recommending the dissolution of Parliament to President Arif Alvi, and asked the coubtry to prepare for fresh elections.

"I have written to the President to dissolve the assemblies. There should be elections in a democratic way. I call upon the people to Pakitan to prepare for elections," Khan said.

"It is for the Pakistanis to decide who should govern them," he added.

Pakistan political trumoil live updates

President dissolves Assembly, calls for elections

Soon after the recommendation from PM Khan, President Alvi ordered dissolution of Pakistan assembly.

"The President of Pakistan, Dr Arif Alvi, has approved the advice of the Prime Minister," a statement from his office said, meaning fresh elections must be held within 90 days.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan took suo-moto notice of the dissolution of the National Assembly by President Alvi.

In the interim, Khan will continue with his responsibilities, said information minister Fawad Chaudhry.

Opposition cries foul

As expedted, the opposition considered legal recourse to the events in

Pakistan Parliament

on Sunday morning.

PPP Chairman Bilawal-Bhutto Zardari said that the government had violated the Constitution by not allowing voting to take place on the no-confidence motion.

Similar reactions came from other oppsition arties like PML-N.

"Having lost the majority in National Assembly, [he] chooses to bulldoze constitution. He will be defeated with unprecedented humiliation in history," PML-N's Ahsan Iqbal said.

The joint Opposition has prepared a petition to cancel the ruling of deputy speaker Qasim Suri.

"We are going to challenge the ruling by the deputy speaker and advice by the prime minister to dissolve parliament in the Supreme Court,” said Shehbaz Sharif, Leader of the Opposition in the parliament.

Supreme Court takes suo moto notice

The country's apex court took suo moto notice of the president dissolving the National Assembly on recommendation of the Prime Minister.

Chief Justice Bandial arrived at the apex court, which was especially opened on a Sunday in light of the day's unusual turn of events.

A special bench headed by the Chief Justice began hearing the matter in Room no. 1 of the Supreme Court late in the evening. The court will continue with the hearings on Monday.