While many wanted the Supreme Court to deliver its verdict within days or at least issue a restraining order to the government, the apex court decided to hear both sides before delivering its verdict. During the hearings the Chief Justice of Pakistan made it known that the ruling by the Deputy Speaker was erroneous. The five-member bench has unanimously declared the April 3 ruling by Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri unconstitutional. Similarly the advice given by the PM to the President to dissolve the National Assembly and the President’s prompt action too have been struck down. The National Asssembly stands revived and will meet on Saturday April 9 where the Speaker will put the confidence move before the House and elect the new Prime Minister. The Court has ordered that no National Assembly member would be stopped from voting.
This brings to an end an inglorious tenure marked by sheer misrule, tightening of control over media, harassment of opposition parties through NAB and FIA and fascistic methods to deal with opponents and critics.
The Supreme Court verdict is a step towards strengthening the system. Much will depend on how the opposition parties resolve the momentous issues facing them. The economy is in bad shape with a worsening balance of payments situation, the continuous fall of the rupee, the relations with IMF and FATF. The opposition will have to take measures to provide relief to the common people suffering from inflation. The PTI government has created problems with the USA and EU and slowed down work on CPEC, which will all have to be looked after. There are rivalries within the opposition parties which are likely to exacerbate once the PTI is out of power.
The Supreme Court wants early elections. This explains the presence of the ECP officials during the hearing in the Court. On account of lack of cooperation by the PTI government a lot of work like delimitation of constituencies, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where the number of seats had been increased under the 26th Amendment, and bringing district- and constituency-wise electoral rolls in conformity are the major challenges.
