Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Factions' statement: The attendees agreed to support and continue implementing the ceasefire agreement measures, including the withdrawal of the occupation and lifting the siege.
Factions' statement: Calling for an end to all forms of torture and violations against prisoners in occupation prisons and the necessity of obligating the occupation to do so.
Statement: The current moment is crucial, making the meeting a true turning point toward national unity in defense of our people and their right to life, dignity, and freedom.
Factions' statement: Call for an urgent meeting of all Palestinian forces and factions to agree on a national strategy.
Factions' statement: Continuing joint work to unify visions and positions to confront the challenges facing the Palestinian cause.
Statement of the factions: Emphasis on the unity of the Palestinian political system and the independent national decision.
Statement: Approval to establish an international committee to oversee the financing and implementation of the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.
Statement: The committee is responsible for managing life and services in cooperation with Arab brothers and international institutions, based on transparency and accountability.
Resistance factions' statement: Agreement to hand over the administration of the Gaza Strip to a temporary Palestinian committee of independent technocrats.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Two people martyred in the Israeli airstrike that targeted a vehicle in Toul.

Pakistan parliament to dissolve for elections excluding ex-PM Khan

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 9 Aug 2023 18:46
4 Min Read

Pakistan has experienced significant political unrest since the removal of Imran Khan from his position of authority in April of the previous year.

  • x
  • Pakistan parliament dissolves for election minus ex-PM Khan
    In this file photo taken on September 24, 2019, Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan speaks during a press conference at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. (AFP)

Pakistan's parliament was scheduled to be dissolved on Wednesday, paving the way for an interim government to be selected for supervising an upcoming election.

Notably absent from this election will be Imran Khan, the country's most widely supported politician. Pakistan has experienced significant political unrest since the removal of Khan from his position of authority in April of the previous year.

This situation reached its climax as he was imprisoned for alleged graft over the weekend, following an extensive crackdown on his political party that had been ongoing for months.

"In the past 16 months, our government tried its best to improve the situation and served the nation with full conviction," outgoing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in his last address to the cabinet. 

"This country can’t progress until we have national unity," he said.

According to the constitution, the announcement of the new interim Prime Minister must occur within three days after the dissolution of parliament. Although the law dictates that elections should take place within 90 days of parliament's dissolution, the departing government has cautioned that a delay is probable.

In an unusual collaboration, the typically conflicting dynastic parties of Pakistan, which united to remove Khan from power, have garnered limited popular support while governing the world's fifth-most populous nation. Meanwhile, the country's economy remains sluggish. This is due to substantial foreign debt, a sharp rise in inflation, and widespread unemployment due to factories being inactive, as they lack the foreign currency required to purchase raw materials.

Related News

Imran Khan supporters, MPs detained on 2nd jail anniversary

Imran Khan, wife sentenced to 14 years in alleged land corruption case

"Economic decisions are invariably tough and often unpopular, requiring a government with a longer tenure to effectively implement them," said Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, president of the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency think tank.

"This election holds significance as it will result in a five-year term for a new government, which ideally should be empowered to make essential decisions vital for economic recovery."

Uncertainty looms over election date amidst Pakistan's multifaceted challenges

For several months, there has been speculation about the possibility of delaying elections as the country's establishment grapples with multiple crises encompassing security, economic, and political challenges. The latest census data, conducted in May, were recently published, prompting the government to state that the election commission requires time to redefine constituency boundaries—an issue of contention for various political parties.

Michael Kugelman, who directs the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Center, said as quoted by AFP that a potential delay might offer the primary coalition partners, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), an opportunity to strategize on addressing the challenge posed by Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. However, Kugelman also noted that such a delay could potentially fuel public discontent and energize an opposition that has already endured months of crackdowns.

Beneath the surface of any election in Pakistan, the influence of the military looms. Since the country's inception through the partition of India in 1947, the military has successfully executed at least three coups. Imran Khan initially enjoyed substantial and widespread support upon assuming power in 2018, reportedly with the backing of Pakistan's influential generals. However, his relationship with the military soured in the months leading up to his removal. Subsequently, Khan embarked on a daring campaign of defiance, accusing the military of interfering in politics and even identifying an intelligence officer as being involved in a November assassination attempt.

 A rigorous response to the situation

Imran Khan, who has faced over 200 legal cases recently, asserts that these charges are politically driven, aimed at obstructing his participation in elections. His initial arrest and short detention in May led to several days of occasionally violent protests, marked by an unprecedented level of anger directed toward the military.

The authorities responded with a severe crackdown that effectively quelled his street influence. Numerous of his supporters were apprehended, with some still held in custody to face military tribunals, while a majority of the party's leaders were arrested or went into hiding. Anticipated to be primarily composed of technocrats, the interim government will confront a challenging undertaking.

Read next: Khan receives maximum sentence, barred from politics for five years

  • Imran Khan
  • Pakistan
  • Pakistani Army
  • elections

Most Read

From previous scenes of the Qassam Brigades targeting an Israeli D9 bulldozer with a Yassin 105 shell, east of Deir al-Balah. (Military Media of the Qassam Brigades)

US knew fatal Rafah blast cause was not Hamas op., says journalist

  • Politics
  • 20 Oct 2025
'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

  • Technology
  • 24 Oct 2025
Abu Hamza, the spokesperson for the Al-Quds Brigades, during a speech televised on October 22, 2025 (Al-Quds Brigades Military Media)

Al-Quds Brigades' Abu Hamza mourns leaders, vows continued resistance

  • Politics
  • 22 Oct 2025
US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

  • Africa
  • 23 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Flags of Iran, Russia, and China (IRNA)
Politics

Russia, China, Iran send joint letter to IAEA on Resolution 2231 end

Rubio says UNRWA to play no role in Gaza aid deliveries
Politics

Rubio says UNRWA to play no role in Gaza aid deliveries

Tents are seen at UN school used as a shelter for displaced Palestinians in Khan Younis, Tuesday, September 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
Politics

UN warns of 'lost generation' amid Gaza education crisis

x
Politics

White House pushes to repeal US sanctions on Syria: Report

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS