SC will take this constitutional fiasco, its Possible outcomes

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Islamabad: 5 April 2022: WHAT COULD HAPPEN TODAY 1. The Court Overturns Khan's Actions A court decision against the move to block the vote of no-confidence could overturn subsequent decisions made by the government, including the dissolution of the assembly and the calling of elections within 90 days. In this case, the lower house of parliament would be restored and the vote against Khan could go ahead. A court ruling against Khan also opens the door for legal action against the 69-year-old and members of his party, as opponents say he is guilty of subverting the constitution. In an extreme scenario, that could entail Khan's disqualification from the next elections, as happened to two previous prime ministers in 2012 and 2017. 2. The Court Legitimises Khan's Actions If the court ruled that Khan's moves were legal, it would mean elections would go ahead within 90 days. That would be a major political win for Khan and provide him with momentum going into the polls. 3. Khan's Actions Deemed Illegal, But Election Goes Ahead The court could rule that the steps taken by Khan were illegal, but that since the process of holding new elections was already under way, those plans should continue as announced to ensure there was as little political damage as possible. That would not preclude possible legal action against Khan and his aides. 4. The Court Does Not Interfere There is a clause in the constitution that says that a court cannot, but courts have interpreted this differently in the past - particularly when it relates to constitutional matters. The court could keep itself out of this matter, which would mean all the steps taken by Khan were legitimised and Pakistan would have general elections within 90 days. 5. Proceedings Drag On If the Supreme Court does not rule quickly, the power vacuum could begin to affect key policy areas, including talks with the IMF for much-needed funds to support the cash-strapped economy. At the moment, there is no government after Khan dissolved the cabinet. Between elections, there is usually a caretaker setup decided by consensus between the government and the opposition. In the absence of such a consensus, the process would be passed to parliamentary committees and eventually the election commission, and that could take days. 6. Military Intervenes There have been three direct military interventions citing economic and political uncertainty — in 1958, 1977 and in 1999. However, top generals have denied any involvement in the current political crisis and said that the armed forces were there to protect democracy

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