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PoliticsPakistan

Pakistan's Khan says he accepts court ruling, blames US

April 8, 2022

Pakistan's embattled prime minister says he accepts a Supreme Court decision overturning his attempt to avoid a no-confidence vote. He insisted that Washington was behind the step to remove him from office.

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A partially dismantled poster of Imran Khan
Khan says his ouster is being orchestrated by the US and he refuses to support any government that may replace himImage: Anjum Naveed/AP/picture alliance

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday said he accepted a Pakistani Supreme Court ruling that found his recent attempt to avoid a no-confidence vote in parliament unconstitutional.

However, in the face of a vote that will likely oust him, Khan said he would not accept any government that may replace him and claimed he was the victim of a US plot aimed at "regime change" in Islamabad.

"I was disappointed with the Supreme Court decision but I want to make it clear that I respect the Supreme Court and Pakistan's judiciary," said Khan in a late-night address to the nation, while complaining that the court should have examined his reason for rejecting initial calls for the no-confidence vote.

"There is a conspiracy from abroad. This is a very serious allegation ... that a foreign country conspired to topple an entire government."

Pakistan's Imran Khan fights for his future

Crisis pushes Pakistan toward political and economic instability

In the address, Khan attacked the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PLM-N) and Pakistan People's Party (PPP), two dynastic political groups who set aside differences to join forces in seeking to oust Khan and his upstart Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party (PTI).

In office since 2018, the former international cricket star's government began to wobble when members of his own party joined a break away coalition partner in abandoning him.

Khan had tried to avoid the vote scheduled for last Sunday by dissolving parliament and calling for new elections. 

Thursday's Supreme Court ruling called for a no-confidence vote to take place in a special parliamentary session at 10:30 a.m. (05:30 UTC) Saturday morning.

The push to remove Khan from office was led by opposition politician Shehbaz Sharif, whose older brother Nawaz served three terms as Pakistan's prime minister. Sharif said the opposition had put his name forth to take over if Khan loses Saturday's vote.

Khan has been a vocal critic of the US and forged ties with Russia. 

The crisis threatens the economical and political stability of nuclear-armed country of 220 million people. Though observers say Saturday's vote may in fact end some of the political uncertainty that has dogged the nation under Khan.

'Pakistan's constitutional crisis is spiraling out of control': Shamil Shams

js/kb (AFP, Reuters)