Khan appears to be trying to mend ties with the powerful establishmentA constitutional crisis has arisen due to former prime minister Imran Khan's attempt to hold snap elections. The government is defying a Supreme Court order to conduct two provincial elections, causing concerns about the future of democracy, Bloomberg reported.
Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial is at the centre of the controversy after he scheduled the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) election dates, following Khan and his allies' dissolution of the assemblies and push for an early national vote.
In response, the incumbent government passed a bill to limit the chief justice's powers in taking suo motu notice, which allows the judge to act in the public's interest. The bill is currently suspended after an eight-member top court panel intervened a week before it was due to become law. This has set the stage for a confrontation between CJP Bandial and the government, and a formal hearing is scheduled for May 2 to determine the bill's constitutionality.
Adding another twist to the situation, the top judge has directed the country's central bank to allocate funds to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to conduct the polls, as the government declined to provide the necessary finances. Government officials have publicly expressed their disapproval of the court's ruling and have announced that nationwide elections will take place in October. It is likely that Khan or his supporters may take legal action against the government soon, according to Bloomberg.
“The government may be charged with contempt of court if it disobeys the orders,” said Naeem Ahmed, an international relations professor at the University of Karachi. “The country may be seeing an escalated constitutional crisis.”
What led Pakistan to reach this point?
What’s the election dispute?
How does the Supreme Court stand on this matter?
What’s next for government?
What options are there for Imran Khan?
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