Pakistan no-trust vote: SC directs govt to protect state institutions after Imran supporters storm Sindh House

Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Saturday asked the government to protect state institutions a day after supporters of the ruling party allegedly attacked the Sindh House in Islamabad. The court also issued notices to four political parties in connection with a petition seeking the apex court’s intervention to prevent “anarchy-like” situation ahead of the no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Imran Khan.

On the other hand, Khan’s Tehreek-i-Insaf party on Saturday issued show-cause notices to its dissident lawmakers for alleged defection and sought an explanation from them by 26 March as to why they may not be declared defectors and disqualified as a member of the National Assembly.

Here’s are the top developments ahead of the crucial no-trust vote against Khan:

Storming of Sindh House

Irate PTI members on Friday stormed into the Sindh House in Islamabad in protest against the two dozen dissident lawmakers who were lodged at the Pakistan Peoples Party-run facility.

Television footage showed dozens of PTI activists barging into the Sindh House and chanting slogans against the group of estranged lawmakers.

Fortunately, no harm came to the lawmakers as the Sindh police deployed inside succeeded to keep the intruders at bay until the personnel of Islamabad police arrived at the spot to control the situation.

At least a dozen people were arrested, including the two ruling lawmakers identified as Atta Ullah and Faheem Khan, who allegedly incited the workers to attack the building and damage its gate.

Why is Sindh House a target

Nearly two dozen disgruntled PTI lawmakers have openly threatened to vote against Khan on the no-confidence motion tabled in Parliament by the Opposition. They have been staying at the Sindh House. It is a property of the Sindh government and run by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

Saeed Ghani, a provincial minister and spokesman of the Sindh government, said the lawmakers fear they will be abducted by the government.

Supreme Court’s response

The apex court directed the Islamabad inspector general of police on Saturday to submit by Monday a report on the storming of Sindh House. It said hearings on the petition would be conducted on a daily basis.

A two-judge bench, comprising Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Justice Munib Akhtar, heard the petition by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) to prevent “anarchy-like” situation.

The SCBA earlier this week approached the apex court, seeking its intervention for peaceful proceedings of the no-confidence vote. It was initially to be heard on Monday but was taken up earlier due the attack on Friday on the Sindh House, which sparked an outrage.

During the hearing, the Attorney General Khalid Javed Khan briefed the bench about the attack.

When Khan said that police had arrested some protestors who were later on released by a magistrate, Chief Justice Bandial said: “We are not concerned with what is happening. We are here for the Constitution’s implementation.” He also asked the attorney general if an attack on the public property was a bailable offence. After not getting a satisfactory response, he remarked that it was the duty of the government to protect institutions.

“Public property and national institutions were threatened (on Friday). Members (of Parliament) and institutions should be protected in accordance with the Constitution,” he said.

The attorney general while arguing on the issue of freedom of speech agreed that there was no justification for the violence. Later, the court directed the Islamabad IG to submit on next hearing a report on the storming of the Sindh House.

The apex court also observed that it would not interfere in political matters but would look into the legal matters. “All political parties will act in accordance with the law. They should not take any action which is against the law,” the chief justice said.

The bench also directed that the process of the no-confidence vote should continue under Article 95.

The chief justice issued notices to four political parties, including Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F).

It also transpired during the hearing that PTI was considering moving the top court to stop its dissidents from voting in the no-confidence move.

PTI’s response

PTI on Saturday issued show-cause notices to its dissident lawmakers for alleged defection and sought an explanation from them by 26 March as to why they may not be declared defectors and disqualified as a member of the National Assembly.

According to Dawn newspaper, one of the notices, which has been issued to lawmaker Muhammad Afzal Khan Dhandla, stated: “It is learnt via large-scale broadcast and videos circulated on different forums of media that you have left the parliamentary party of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and joined the Opposition parties, who have brought a motion of vote of no confidence against the honourable prime minister of Pakistan, dated 8 March, 2022.”

The notice said the lawmakers had neither denied the contents of the interviews nor issued a rebuttal to this “act of defection”.

The lawmakers have been asked to respond to these notices within seven days. The notice cited Article 63 (A) of the Constitution, stating that the provision bounds the lawmakers to follow the directions issued by their parliamentary party.

“You may give a reply to this show-cause notice and have a personal hearing before Mr Imran Khan… on or before 2pm on Saturday, 26 March, 2022,” the notice said.

According to Article 63 (A) of the Constitution, a parliamentarian can be disqualified on grounds of defection if he “votes or abstains from voting in the House contrary to any direction issued by the parliamentary party to which he belongs, in relation to election of the prime minister or chief minister; or a vote of confidence or a vote of no-confidence; or a money bill or a Constitution (amendment) bill”.

No-trust vote

The political situation in Pakistan has deteriorated after 8 March when the no-trust vote was moved by Opposition parties. Amid acrid statements, violence is feared as already observed on Friday.

The National Assembly session for the no-trust move is expected to be called on 21 March and the voting is likely to take place on 28 March.

Opposition threat

Meanwhile, opposition leaders have warned that if the resolution calling for the no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Khan was not presented in the National Assembly on Monday which is the deadline for tabling the resolution they could stage a “sit-in” in the lower house, thereby hampering a high-profile Organisation of Islamic Cooperation summit that is scheduled to take place there on the same day.

Political discomfort

Both government and Opposition politicians have been working overtime to tilt the balance in their favour. The PPP held the meeting of its core committee, followed by the meeting of its leaders with PML-N and JUI-F leaders at a lunch hosted by PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif.

Khan also consulted his core group about the latest situation. He also addressed the groundbreaking ceremony of Rawalpindi Ring Road and told his supporters that the no-trust move would fail.

Khan, 69, is heading a coalition government and he can be removed if some of the partners decide to switch sides.

In the 342-member National Assembly, the Opposition needs 172 votes to remove Khan, the cricketer-turned-politician.

The PTI has 155 members in the House and needs at least 172 lawmakers on its side to remain in the government. The party has the support of 23 members belonging to at least six political parties.

With input from PTI

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