PM sends summary for dissolution of NA to president,

Dr Arif Alvi has assented to the premature dissolution of the National Assembly shortly after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif forwarded the summary.

“The president dissolved the National Assembly on the advice of the prime minister under Article 58-1 of the Constitution,” read an official statement issued by the President’s Office,

 Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Murtaza Javed Abbasi confirmed the development, saying that the elected government has completed its 5-year constitutional term.

“The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs has sent the summary of dissolution of the government to the prime minister,” the minister added.

In the summary, the federal minister said the premier was also asked for the formation of an interim government under Article 224 of the Constitution.

The parliamentary affairs ministry will issue a notification on the approval of the summary and the formation of the caretaker government, he added.

Earlier,

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signed the summary for dissolution of the National Assembly and sent it to the president for final nod, the sources said on Wednesday.

The president, after receiving the summary, would be bound to dissolve the assembly within the next 48 hours. Shehbaz Sharif would continue to serve as prime minister until the appointment of the caretaker prime minister.

The Election Commission of Pakistan would be bound under the Constitution to conduct the general elections within 90 days of the dissolution of the National Assembly under the Constitution.

Earlier in the day, the Senate approved a resolution demanding the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to take steps regarding preparations for upcoming general elections within the due time under the Constitution in the country.

Jamat-e-Islami (JI) Senator Mushtaq Ahmad presented the resolution before the upper house, with the demand that all the state institutions should assist the ECP in holding the elections.

Names for the caretaker prime minister are doing the rounds on the internet platforms as PM Shehbaz sent summary for the dissolution of National Assembly to president.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has already nominated Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori for the coveted slot.

The other names include former foreign secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani, former finance minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, ex-prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, retired Justice Maqbool Baqar, Fawad Hassan Fawad, Rauf Sheikh and Zulfiqar Magsi.

Punjab interim chief minister Mohsin Naqvi and former Sindh governor Dr Ishratul Ibad are also said to be vying for the caretaker prime minister.

After the dissolution of the National Assembly, a process to appoint a caretaker prime minister will begin under Article 224-A of the Constitution.

PM Shehbaz and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Raja Riaz will hold consultations to finalise the name of the interim prime minister.

If they failed to agree on the name within three days, the matter will go to the parliamentary committee for the appointment of caretaker PM.

Under the law, the premier and the opposition leader will send their respective names for the coveted post to the parliamentary committee.

The parliamentary committee will have to finalise the name of the caretaker prime minister within three days or if it too failed to reach a consensus on the name, then the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will pick the caretaker prime minister within two days from the names proposed by the opposition and the government.

The electoral body will announce the date of the elections 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.

After the general elections, the ECP is bound to officially notify the election results within 14 days as per the Constitution.