Islamabad, Apr 7 (PTI): Pakistan's Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday likened Prime Minister Imran Khan to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, terming his decisions to dissolve the National Assembly and reject the vote of no-confidence against him as an unconstitutional power-grab.
"Nazi Hitler prevailed to dissolve the Reichstag [German Parliament] and thereby solidified his position by abrogating the Constitution and ending the Weimar Republic- Imran Niazi is doing the same in Pakistan,” the Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President, said.
Addressing a press conference at the Supreme Court premises, the PML-N leader stated that April 3 would be remembered as the day the Constitution was sabotaged and trampled upon, adding that Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri’s attempt to issue Khan a stay-order by dismissing the no-trust motion was unconstitutional.
The Opposition leader claimed that Khan acted through the deputy speaker to have the no-confidence motion dismissed and urged the National Security Council (NSC) to bring forth the minutes of the meeting regarding the diplomatic cable accusing the opposition of conspiring against the premier.
The 70-year-old Shehbaz Shairf, younger brother of former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, said that the Opposition would challenge the unconstitutional actions of the ruling party on all platforms.
He also criticised the 69-year-old cricketer-turned-politician, calling him a "liar" and a "fraud", stating that the country could only be “saved” if the Constitution was respected.
Later, in a huge blow to Khan, Pakistan's Supreme Court on Thursday unanimously struck down a controversial ruling by the deputy speaker on the rejection of a no-confidence motion against him and ordered restoration of the National Assembly.
In a landmark verdict, a five-member bench headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial ruled that the deputy speaker's ruling was "contrary to the Constitution and the law and of no legal effect, and the same are hereby set aside." The apex court also said the prime minister's move to dissolve Parliament and call early elections was "unconstitutional," bringing cheers to the Opposition parties. The Supreme Court also said a vote of no-confidence should be held in the House of Representatives on Saturday. PTI AKJ AKJ
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