Islamabad [Pakistan]: In a major late night development, Pakistan President Arif Alvi approved the premature dissolution of the country’s National Assembly, Pakistan-based Geo News reported.
Alvi’s decision comes after Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday sent him a summary for the dissolution of the Pakistan National Assembly.
An official statement released by Pakistan President’s Office on X, formerly Twitter, read, “The president dissolved the National Assembly on the advice of the prime minister under Article 58-1 of the Constitution.”
Shehbaz Sharif’s move formally started the process for the appointment of a caretaker setup.
Earlier, in a statement, Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Murtaza Javed Abbasi confirmed the development. Abbasi said that the elected government has completed its five-year constitutional term, according to Geo News report.
He further said, “The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs has sent the summary of dissolution of the government to the Prime Minister.”
In the summary, Murtaza Javed Abbasi said the Pakistan PM was also asked for the formation of an interim government under Article 224 of the Constitution. He stated further that the Parliamentary Affairs ministry will release a notification on the approval of the summary and the formation of the caretaker government.
After the dissolution of the National Assembly, a process to appoint a caretaker prime minister will start under Article 224-A of the Constitution, Geo News reported.
Outgoing PM Shehbaz Sharif and the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Raja Riaz will hold discussions to finalise the name of the caretaker PM.
If the two leaders do not agree on the name within three days, the matter will go to the Parliamentary Committee for appointing an interim PM. As per the law of the land, the outgoing Pakistan PM and the Opposition leader will send their respective names for the coveted post to the Parliamentary Committee.
The Committee will have to finalise the name of the caretaker PM within three days. If it also fails to reach a consensus on the name, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will then step in and choose the interim PM within two days from the names shortlisted by the government and the Opposition, the report stated further.
The ECP will make the announcement regarding the date of the polls under Article 224-1 and if the Assembly is dissolved before the completion of the constitutional term, the general elections will have to be held within 90 days, as per the Geo News report.
After the elections are conducted, the poll watchdog is bound to officially notify the results of the polls within 14 days, in accordance with the constitution, Geo News reported.
However, the general elections are likely to get delayed in Pakistan as the Council of Common Interests (CCI) has approved new census results, requiring the ECP to hold fresh delimitation.
