Live updates on political situation in Pakistan

The no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan was dismissed abruptly Sunday after National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri termed it "unconstitutional", saying that it was backed by "foreign powers".

At the outset of the session, Law and Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry read out Article 5 of the Constitution and accused the Opposition of "disloyalty to the state."

Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri then quickly disallowed voting on the no-trust motion and adjourned the session for an indefinite time. Later, on the prime minister's advice, President Arif Alvi dissolved the assemblies, with the premier asking the nation to gear up for fresh polls.

Legal experts Saroop Ijaz, Muneeb Farooq, Reema Omer, Salam Akram Raja, and Salaar Khan have termed the move unconstitutional.

Read more about their opinion here.

The military has nothing to do with what happened today, Director-General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Babar Iftikhar Sunday told Geo News.

Replying to a question regarding the involvement of the Army in the political developments of the day, the DG ISPR bluntly denied any sort of involvement and said: "absolutely not".

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Former governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar lambasted the PTI leadership Sunday after he was removed from office, with sources saying the decision was taken at PML-Q leader Chaudhry Parvez Elahi's request.

The ex-governor, addressing a press conference shortly after being sacked, said if there is an international conspiracy against the incumbent government then it was electing Buzdar as the chief minister.

Sarwar said that despite having several prominent candidates, including Fawad Chaudhry, Imran Khan decided to pick Usman Buzdar as the chief minister — as only he could move Punjab towards the goal of "Naya Pakistan".

"All of PTI workers — in Punjab, Pakistan — and the federal ministers complained to us whether this was the Pakistan that we wanted where the chief secretary and inspector general are changed every three months," the former governor said.

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Following the decision of the Deputy Speaker of National Assembly Qasim Suri to adjourn the NA session for an indefinite period, the Punjab Assembly session has also been adjourned till April 6 (Wednesday).

The Opposition was hopeful of a PML-N leader Hamza Shahbaz; however, following Prime Minister Imran Khan’s “surprise” regarding assembly dissolution, the announcement regarding the postponement was made.

The Punjab Assembly session lasted for nearly six minutes following which the decision was made; however, the party members got into a heated argument.

Commenting on the development PTI leader Fayyaz ul Hassan Chauhan said that members of the Jahangir Tareen Group will also be available by April 6.

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President Dr Arif Alvi has dissolved the National Assembly on the proposal of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

In a surprise move, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday said that he has advised President Alvi to dissolve all the assemblies.

This major political development came shortly after NA Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri rejected voting on the no-confidence motion against PM Imran Khan, calling "unconstitutional".

An official notification dissolving the Assembly has been issued. According to sources, elections will be held within a period of 90 days.

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In a surprise move, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday said that he has advised President Alvi to dissolve all the assemblies.

In a brief address to the nation after the no-confidence motion was rejected, the premier congratulated the nation and said that he had sent a proposal to the President to dissolve the NA and the nation should prepare for the next elections.

Pleased with the NA deputy speaker's ruling, the premier congratulated the nation over the development.

“The NA speaker has rejected the move intended at changing the regime and I congratulate the entire nation on it.”

PTI leader from Punjab Omar Sarfaraz Cheema has replaced Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar as the new Punjab governor, soon after the latter was sacked this morning.

The federal government removed Sarwar from the post hours before the crucial session in the National Assembly for the vote of no confidence against Prime Minister Imran Khan.

"The announcement regarding new Punjab governor will be made later, while deputy speaker of [provincial assembly] will be the acting governor in the meantime," Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry wrote on Twitter.

Sources within the federal government said that Sarwar has been removed from his post on PML-Q leader Chaudhry Parvez Elahi's request, for allegedly campaigning for Hamza Shahbaz in the election of the chief minister.

The meeting of the joint Opposition started with the leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif in chair to plan its strategy regarding the crucial NA session.

The meeting is attended by 177 people including PPP Chairman Bilawal, Asif Ali Zardari, Akhtar Mengal, Khalid Magsi, MQM-P leader Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Shahzain Bugti and others.

The legal team is briefing the meeting on the legal points regarding the vote of no-trust motion against PM Imran Khan.

PPP leader Shazia Marri has said that she is not aware of the motives behind the removal of Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar's removal from the Punjab governor's post.

"There must be some things that the governor was unable to do, which is why he was removed," Marri said while speaking to the media.

She said that there is room for change in the democratic process.

Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, and co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari along with other Opposition MNAs arrived at the National Assembly.

Other Opposition MNAs present at the Parliament House include former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and PPP's Raja Pervez Ashraf.