Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Thursday that the National Assembly would be dissolved on August 9.
Prime Minister Sharif decided after meeting with parliamentary leaders during a banquet honoring members of parliament, during which the country’s political situation was thoroughly reviewed.
Prime Minister Shehbaz solicited their advice at the meeting and addressed the arrangements for the caretaker prime minister and the caretaker setup.
On August 9, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will formally request that the National Assembly be dissolved by the President. To effectuate the dissolution, the President must sign the advice within 48 hours, according to constitutional norms. If the President does not sign the advice for any reason, the Assembly will be dissolved instantly.
Furthermore, Prime Minister Shehbaz stated that he will submit the name of the caretaker prime minister to the President after three days of consultation with the opposition.
If no agreement is achieved, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will step in and select a candidate from the proposed names to serve as caretaker prime minister.
Notably, he emphasized the success of negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), emphasizing the necessity of economic stability for the country’s future.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated earlier this week that the future elections in Pakistan would be based on the 2023 digital census.
“We must hold elections based on the new census… Unless there is an impediment that cannot be overcome, [polls] should be held based on the census. But I don’t see [any such barrier]”, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif continued.
He also stated that a meeting of the Council of Common Interest (CCI), the organization in charge of approving census findings, was scheduled.
Sharif further stated that after the census findings were finalized, they would be forwarded to the CCI.
Notably, PM Sharif’s declaration differs from previous assurances by his ministers, who stated that the 2018 election would be held based on the 2017 census.
When asked if there will be any delays in the elections, he stated that this should not be the case, adding that the ball will be in the election commission’s court.
This verdict, however, elicited a harsh response from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), one of Pakistan’s ruling coalition government’s ruling allies, who claim Karachi’s population was undercounted in the new census.
In an apparent attempt to satisfy the party, PM Sharif met with its leaders last week in Karachi, where he told them that any decision on the topic would be made after consultation with all coalition partners.
Previously, Prime Minister Sharif stated that the National Assembly would be dissolved before August 12 with the agreement of affiliated parties.
In an apparent attempt to appease the party, Prime Minister Sharif met with its leaders in Karachi last week, telling them that any decision on the issue will be taken after consultation with all coalition partners.
He indicated in an interview that the National legislature’s term will end on August 12 and that the legislature will be dissolved before then.
Sharif went on to say that the decision on a caretaker prime minister will be taken in conjunction with the head of the opposition in the National Assembly and that he will first consult with all allied parties.
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