Mass resignations only solution to political turmoil: Sheikh Rasheed

ISLAMABAD:  Mass resignations from the treasury benches could resolve the current political turmoil, said Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed — who was restored as a cabinet member just a day back after the Supreme Court's landmark judgment on Friday.

Speaking to journalists in the federal capital, Rasheed said: "I used to suggest three months back: tender your resignations, dissolve the assemblies, impose an emergency, impose governor's rule. I was right in all instances."

"I stand by my decision of mass resignations. We should take to the streets and expose these hired guns [the Opposition]. They will [compromise] on Pakistan's foreign policy," the interior minister said.

A day earlier, the Supreme Court of Pakistan restored the National Assembly (NA) after it declared the government's decision to dissolve the assembly and NA Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri's ruling against the Constitution.

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The top court has ordered NA Speaker Asad Qasier to summon the session on Saturday (April 9) no later than 10:30am to allow the vote on the no-confidence motion against the premier.

Moreover, the interior minister said the nation was well-aware of who did what, as he hoped of hearing "good decisions" from Prime Minister Imran Khan later today evening — when he addresses the nation.

Despite being clean bowled by the Supreme Court's judgement, giving the PTI-led government a major setback, PM Imran Khan has pledged to fight for Pakistan "till the last ball."

To review the latest situation, the prime minister had called a federal cabinet meeting today — which started at 2pm — after almost a month's hiatus, while he will also chair a meeting of the PTI's parliamentary party later in the day.

"I have called a cabinet [meeting] tomorrow as well as our parliamentary party meeting, and tomorrow evening I will address the nation," the prime minister said in a tweet after the order was issued.

"My message to our nation is I have always and will continue to fight for Pakistan till the last ball," PM Imran Khan said.

Meanwhile, sources have said the cabinet might approve making the "threat letter from the United States" public as it will also deliberate over the Official Secrets Act. 1923 — which bars public office holders from making certain official communications public.

PM Imran Khan's coalition lost its majority in the national assembly last week, but he avoided being dismissed when the deputy speaker blocked a no-confidence motion against him and the president dissolved parliament and ordered fresh elections.

Read more: Supreme Court hands down unanimous watershed judgment

The premier claimed the Opposition had colluded with the United States for "regime change" when the deputy speaker — a member of PTI — refused to allow the no-confidence motion.

Simultaneously, Khan asked President Arif Alvi — who is also a PTI loyalist — to dissolve the assembly.

The decision — which the court said was unanimous — was met with jubilation by opposition supporters in the capital, with packed cars racing through the streets, sounding their horns.

There had been high hopes for Khan when he was elected in 2018 on a promise of sweeping away decades of entrenched corruption and cronyism, but he struggled to maintain support with soaring inflation, a feeble rupee and crippling debt.