Pakistan’s parliament dissolved

An ally of Prime Minister Imran Khan disbanded the Pakistan’s parliament Sunday to avoid an upcoming no-confidence vote. Then, Khan told the public to “get ready for elections.” The Supreme Court of Pakistan took up the opposition’s claim Monday that parliament’s deputy speaker had no right to block the vote, but then adjourned until Tuesday afternoon with no explanation. The court must first decide whether it has a right to rule in this case. For now, Khan will continue in his duties.

Why the no-confidence vote? Khan’s opposition, including defectors from his own party, claims that he has mismanaged the economy as prices for food and fuel soar. They’ve also said that his 2018 election was steeped in vote-rigging and foul play. Khan accused the U.S. of supporting his opponents’ efforts to oust him for close ties with Russia and criticisms of U.S. foreign policy. No Pakistani prime minister has served a complete five-year term since the government formed in 1947.

Dig deeper: From the archives, read Les Sillars’ article in The Sift on when Khan came into power in 2018.