Human Rights Watch (HRW) denounced Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s action of dissolving the National Assembly and escaping from facing the no-confidence motion tabled against him. “This move of the premier has infringed on the rights of Pakistani citizens to choose their government.”
“To dissolve parliament rather than face a no-confidence vote that could remove him from power effectively deprives Pakistani citizens of their right to choose their government,” said HRW in a statement.
The watchdog for advocating human rights said, “Move has plunged Pakistan into a constitutional crisis. Under Pakistan’s constitution, the prime minister ceases to hold office if a majority of the National Assembly votes for a motion of no confidence – Imran Khan’s party appeared to have lost its majority by April 3. The action allows Khan to continue as prime minister until a caretaker government takes over, with neither a national assembly nor a federal cabinet.”
“Government officials threatened to blow up the Opposition in a suicide attack and called on supporters to go out and take traitors to the task,” said HRW.
“One member of parliament from Khan’s party tweeted that all Opposition members should be shot – a tweet he subsequently deleted. Senior members of Khan’s party have called for Opposition members to be arrested for treason,” added Human Rights Watch.
Pakistan is in a state of political chaos as the no-confidence motion against Khan was dismissed abruptly on Sunday, April 3. Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri said that the no-confidence motion, presented on March 8, should be according to the law and 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”.
