In a sudden reversal, Pakistan’s beleaguered Prime Minister Imran Khan held on to power after the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly dismissed the no-confidence motion against him on the grounds that it was unconstitutional.

The Opposition, which was confident of its ability to oust Khan, was blindsided by the Deputy Speaker’s shock move, but was quick to regroup. While some are camping out at the National Assembly, others have decided to knock on the doors of the Supreme Court.

Developments came thick and fast. In an address to the nation, a triumphant Imran Khan announced his plans to dissolve the assemblies and hold fresh elections.

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Here’s a run-down of all that played out today ahead of, during and after the high-stakes no-confidence motion:

1. National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri chaired a crucial session of the lower House after opposition parties filed a no-confidence motion against Speaker Asad Qaiser.

2. Taking the floor shortly after the session began, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry reiterated Imran Khan’s claims that a foreign conspiracy was behind the move to topple the government. The minister questioned how “an operation for a regime change by a foreign government” could be allowed and called on the chair to give its ruling on the matter.

3. The deputy speaker then said that it had been confirmed that the no-trust motion was part of an international conspiracy. He, thus, rejected it. “No foreign power shall be allowed to topple an elected government through a conspiracy,” he said, adding that the points raised by the minister were “valid”,” said Suri.

4. Moments after the no-trust move was disallowed, Pakistan PM Imran Khan informed the nation that he has advised President Arif Alvi to dissolve the National Assembly and call for fresh elections. The president promptly complied with Khan’s proposal and polls are slated to be held within 90 days.

5. PPP Chairman Bilawal-Bhutto Zardari said that the government had violated the Constitution by not allowing voting to take place on the no-confidence motion. “The united opposition is not leaving Parliament. Our lawyers are on their way to Supreme Court. We call on ALL institutions to protect, uphold, defend and implement the Constitution of Pakistan,” he tweeted.

READ | Unconstitutional, illegal, insane: Oppn reacts after Pak PM wriggles out of no-trust vote, retains power

6. Following this, the Supreme Court constituted a special bench to look into the dismissal of the no-confidence motion by the Deputy Speaker and the dissolution of Parliament, given that the government did not have majority when the decisions were taken.

7. Hitting out at Imran Khan, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz said that no one could be allowed to “distort” the Constitution for the sake of saving their seat. “If this crazy fanatic is not punished for this crime, then the law of the jungle will prevail in the country after today,” she said in a tweet.

8. PML-N’s Ahsan Iqbal said PM Imran Khan had proven to the world that he does not possess even an “iota” of decency, grace and honour. “Having lost the majority in National Assembly, [he] chooses to bulldoze constitution. He will be defeated with unprecedented humiliation in history,” he said.

9. Earlier in the day, the federal government removed Punjab Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar from his post, just hours ahead of the no-trust vote. Although no official reason was given for the sacking, it is believed that Sarwar did not agree with Imran Khan’s choice of nominee for the post of chief minister of Punjab.

10. The combined opposition filed the no-confidence motion on March 8, blaming Khan for failing to revive Pakistan’s economy and crack down on corruption. The prime minister claims that a foreign power colluded with corrupt Opposition leaders and orchestrated the move to oust him.