Pakistan President Arif Alvi formally dissolved the National Assembly three days before its scheduled term. Efforts are on to appoint a caretaker prime minister to run the country until general elections are held later this year.
Shahbaz Sharif government’s term ended three days earlier
President Arif Alvi on Wednesday dissolved the National Assembly on the advice of outgoing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, ending the current government’s term three days ahead of schedule. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday held formal consultations with the Leader of the Opposition on the name of a caretaker prime minister to hold general elections later this year.
Sharif will hold the post till the appointment of caretaker Prime Minister
Sharif will continue to perform his duties as prime minister until a caretaker prime minister is appointed. The notification for dissolution of the assembly issued by the President’s Office ‘Presidential Palace’ states that the National Assembly has been dissolved under Article 58 of the Constitution. According to Article 58, if the President fails to dissolve the Assembly within 48 hours of the Prime Minister’s recommendation, the Assembly is automatically dissolved. President Alvi said in a statement, the advice of the Prime Minister is accepted in the sixth paragraph of the notification.
PM’s office informed about the dissolution of the National Assembly
President Dr Arif Alvi has dissolved the National Assembly, the Prime Minister’s Office posted on Twitter. The President dissolved the National Assembly on the advice of the Prime Minister under Article 58-1 of the Constitution. Sharif on Thursday held formal consultations with Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Raja Riaz on the nomination of the Caretaker Prime Minister at the Prime Minister’s residence.
Three days time to decide the name of caretaker Prime Minister
Sharif and Leader of the Opposition Raja Riaz now have three days, according to the constitution, to name a caretaker prime minister. When Raja Riyaz was asked about any name on his behalf for nomination, he said, I have names of three people in my mind.
This name is at the forefront for caretaker PM
According to local media, three names have been proposed, including two nominations – former diplomat Jalil Abbas Jilani and former Chief Justice of Pakistan Tassaduq Hussain Jilani, sent by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). Apart from this, the name of Sindh Governor Kamran Tesori has been proposed by Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P). However, no public announcement has been made by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on the issue.
Acting PM’s case may go to the Election Commission
Raja Riaz, a dissident leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), is considered close to major parties such as the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and is expected not to support the government’s candidate. do. If they cannot agree on a name, the matter will be referred to a committee set up by the Speaker of the National Assembly, which will have to decide on the name of an interim prime minister within three days. If the committee is unable to take a decision within the stipulated period, the proposed names are sent to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). After this, the commission has two days to take a final decision on the names proposed by the opposition and the government.
National Assembly dissolved after Imran Khan went to jail
The move to dissolve the National Assembly has been taken at a time when former Prime Minister Imran Khan is fighting a legal battle to overturn his corruption conviction. Khan (70) was on Saturday sentenced to three years in jail by an Islamabad trial court in the Toshakhana corruption case for illegally selling government gifts during his tenure as prime minister from 2018 to 2022. He was later arrested by the Punjab Police from his Lahore residence. Khan is currently lodged in Attock jail. He filed a petition through his lawyers in the Islamabad High Court on Tuesday, appealing against his conviction and three-year jail term in the case.