Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan foiled an attempt to boot him from office Sunday by getting the president to dissolve the National Assembly, meaning fresh elections must be held within three months.
On a day of high drama, the Assembly deputy speaker refused to accept a motion of no confidence in the government, as Khan simultaneously appeared on TV to say there had been "foreign interference" in Pakistan's democratic institutions.
The Opposition's hopes of ousting the premier were dashed after Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Qasim Suri rejected a no-confidence motion submitted by the opposition, terming it against Article 5 of the Constitution.
So, what is Article 5 of the Pakistan Constitution?
Article 5 of Pakistan’s Constitution is ‘Loyalty to State and obedience to Constitution and law.’
The two clauses under it state that,
Clause (1) Loyalty to the State is the basic duty of every citizen.
Clause (2) 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.
Shortly after the session began, Pakistan Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said that loyalty to the state was the basic duty of every citizen under Article 5.
Chaudhry reiterated PM Khan’s allegation of "foreign interference" in Pakistan's democratic institutions taking Clause (1) of Article 15 to the floor of the National Assembly.
“No foreign power shall be allowed to topple an elected government through a conspiracy,” Qasim Suri, who was chairing the session, ruled as he accepted Fawad Chaudhary's argument.
Suri dismissed the motion in a shock move, terming it against Article 5 of the Constitution, which states that "loyalty to the State is the basic duty of every citizen" and declared Chaudhry’s points were "valid.”
(With agency inputs)
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