Pakistan's Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed partial local elections to be held in two provinces of the country, in a victory for former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The court ruled that elections should be held by May 15 in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, despite government opposition to the vote at a time when the country is facing an economic crisis and a political challenge from the opposition.
The former prime minister is pushing for parliamentary elections, part of a campaign to force the government to hold early general elections.
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif rejected Imran Khan's call for early general elections, and his government supported the postponement of the election commission to vote in the two provinces until the eighth of next October.
But the Supreme Court ruled that the postponement was illegal and that voting in these territories must take place between April 30 and May 15.
Pakistan's last general election was held in July 2018, when Imran Khan's government took power.
Imran Khan was ousted in April 2022 under a no-confidence motion and has since faced legal action, but remains hugely popular and hopes to return to power. He also recently accused his government of plotting to assassinate him or send him to prison.