Former Pakistan premier Imran Khan’s bid for snap elections has evolved into a constitutional crisis, with the government pushing back against a Supreme Court order to carry out two provincial polls, raising concerns over the future of the democratic process.
At the center of this is Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, who set election dates for the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces after Khan and his allies used their majorities to dissolve the assemblies and build momentum for an early national vote.
Government lawmakers then moved to pass a bill to clip the top judge’s powers on taking "suo-moto” notice — which means carrying out action on what the justice deems is in the interest of the public. The bill is now in limbo after it was suspended last week by an eight-member top court panel, a week before it was expected to become law. That’s set the stage for a showdown between Bandial and the government, with a formal hearing due to begin on May 2 on whether the bill is constitutional.