Pakistan's president dissolved Parliament on Sunday setting the stage for early elections after the prime minister sidestepped a no-confidence move earlier in the day. Imran Khan asked President Arif Alvi to dissolve the National Assembly, or law-making lower house of Parliament. Pakistan's constitution calls for the establishment of an interim government to see the country toward elections, which are to be held within 90 days. According to the constitution, the interim government is to be established with input from the opposition. The battle between Khan, a cricket star turned conservative leader, and his political opposition has mired the nation in political turmoil. The deputy speaker threw out the opposition's no-confidence resolution after Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry accused the opposition of colluding with a foreign power to stage a "regime change." Khan, who was not in Parliament, went on national television to say he would ask Pakistan's president to dissolve the body and hold elections. "I ask people to prepare for the next elections. Thank God, a conspiracy to topple the government has failed," Khan said in his address. The opposition arrived in Parliament ready to vote Khan out of power. They needed a simple majority of 172 votes in Pakistan's 342-seat Parliament to unseat Khan. Khan's small but key coalition partners along with 17 of his own party members joined the opposition to oust him. — Agencies
