Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Monday, while urging the Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan to declare the ruling of the Deputy Speaker “null and void”, said the secret cable was not a conspiracy but dissolving the National Assembly (NA) following the ruling is “a conspiracy against Pakistan”.

Addressing a press conference here, he said that the joint opposition had rejected the outcome of the 2018 “rigged” elections soon after the results, saying that to avoid rigging in future elections the parliament has to bring serious electoral reforms.

The assembly was dissolved on the basis of just assumptions, on the one side Prime Minister Imran Khan was posing as a man of principles but on the other side is using all State resources. He said that the PTI from the speaker to the President and the PM were all providing protection to each other.

He appealed to the court to reject the ruling of the Deputy Speaker and Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) should be given the right to vote on the no-confidence motion.

To avoid rigging in future elections, Maulana Fazlur Rehman said electoral reforms should be carried out first and then elections.

He said that Prime Minister Khan has claimed that the members of the National Security Committee (NSC) from establishment were totally satisfied with the him. He asked the representative of the establishment to clear their position on the claims of the prime minister. He said that for three years, Imran Khan’s “illegal” government was supported. He said that all the political parties that contested 2018 elections, on July 27, 2018 in a protest had rejected the results of the 2018 general elections, had the Supreme Court taken the sou-moto notice that the country would have been protected from various problems.

He said that since the creation of Pakistan, after the formation of Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government in 2018, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan tried to cheat the masses through hollow slogans and tall claims. He said that the people are unable to pay the school fees of their children and unable to purchase medicines for their ailing children.

He said that the PDM wants all the security departments to stay out from the public discussions and they must focus on their constitutional duties.

He said that massive rigging in 2018 elections is the core reason behind the current economic crisis, skyrocketing inflation, closure of factories, and serious unemployment situation.

Maulana said that the PDM and ally parties since 2018 are calling for fresh mandate for which they have organised massive public rallies including 14 million marches across the country.

He said that the joint opposition truly believing in constitutional practices was going as per set agenda for the National Assembly meeting of no-confidence motion against the PM, which was sabotaged by the Deputy Speaker by giving an “extra constitutional” ruling.

PM Khan has played an “unconstitutional game” to come into power, so the apex court should declare the ruling of the Deputy Speaker, null and void. He said that Imran Khan cannot be a hero on the basis of one “fabricated” letter.

Maulana said it was the no-confidence motion that pushed Imran Khan towards the elections by dissolving the assembly unconstitutionally. He also said that the country is currently in a constitutional crisis because the deputy speaker has given an “unconstitutional” ruling.

The story was originally published in Business Recorder on April 05, 2022.