Shehbaz left fuming, Bilawal contemplates legal battle

Following dismissal of the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan by National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri, Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif said that the premier and NA speaker will be tried under Article 6 of the Constitution.

Shehbaz's response comes minutes after Qasim Suri declared the no-confidence motion "unconstitutional", an anti-climax development to weeks of planning and intense lobbying.

No-confidence motion dismissed by National Assembly, PM Imran advises president to dissolve assemblies

Earlier, in a brief address to the nation after the NA session, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that after the "unconstitutional" nature of the no-confidence motion, he had advised President Dr Arif Alvi to dissolve the assemblies and call early elections.

Khan had earlier suggested on Saturday that he might not accept a vote to oust him, a move he alleged was being orchestrated by the United States.

"How can I accept the result when the entire process is discredited?" Khan told a select group of foreign journalists at his office. "Democracy functions on moral authority - what moral authority is left after this connivance?"

Uncertainty and fear grip Pakistan amid looming no-confidence vote

"The move to oust me is blatant interference in domestic politics by the United States," he said, terming it an attempt at "regime change".

Meanwhile, responding to today's developments, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), said that the opposition will "initiate a legal battle" against the "unconstitutional ruling by the NA Deputy Speaker".

"We will follow the constitution to deal with the situation," he said.

Similarly, reacting to the government's decision to dissolve assemblies, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's (PML-N) Marriyum Aurangzeb said that the opposition too had a surprise for the government which, she said, will be announced shortly.

All eyes were on the NA that commenced its crucial session on the no-confidence motion against Khan with both treasury and opposition engaged in planning and lobbying to foil each other's plans.

Reports from the ruling camp suggested that PM Imran, in his capacity as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman, held a detailed meeting with his close aides on Saturday, and decided that PTI lawmakers would participate in the no-confidence motion— to vote against this motion, in favour of the PM.