Ruling coalition: there’s lack of clarity regarding NA dissolution date

ISLAMABAD: Confusion persists among political parties comprising the ruling coalition government about the date of dissolution of the National Assembly for holding the coming general elections in the country.

They are confused about whether to go for the normal dissolution of the National Assembly on completion of its term on August 12 at 12 midnight or advise the president for early dissolution.

According to the parliamentary history of the National Assembly, the first session of the 15th National Assembly of Pakistan was held on 13th August 2018, and members elect took oath as members of the National Assembly. Sardar Ayaz Sadiq administered the oath to the newly-elected members.

A constitutional expert said while talking to Business Recorder that the tenure of the National Assembly would complete at 12am on August 12, 2023.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Secretary General Syed Nayyar Bukhari on Friday said the incumbent coalition government should complete its term — set to expire on August 12 — instead of dissolving the National Assembly (NA) before the end of term.

His advice comes after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that the coalition government would hand over the country’s reins to the caretaker setup on the expiry of its term next month.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Wednesday Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government’s tenure would end on August 14.

According to Article 224 of the Constitution, “A general election to the National Assembly or a provincial assembly shall be held within a period of 60 days immediately following the day on which the term of the assembly is due to expire unless the Assembly has been sooner dissolved”. In case of early dissolution, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is bound to hold the general elections within a period of 90 days after the dissolution, according to Article 224(2).

PPP leader Syed Nayyar Hussain Bukhari said in a statement on Friday: “Dissolving assemblies just a few days before the expiry of the term would not send a good message.”

“Dissolving the assemblies to get 30 more days won’t make much of a difference and it will also not send out a good message,” Bukhari stated.

However, another PPP senior leader and Minister for Commerce Syed Naveed Qamar said last Tuesday while talking to the media that the PPP had suggested the government dissolve all the assemblies on August 8. “However, the decision to dissolve the assemblies has to be taken by the federal government,” he said.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) said, last Monday (July 11), that the assemblies could be dissolved earlier than the scheduled date of August 13 to “facilitate” the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar of the PML-N said on Thursday that the National Assembly (NA) will be dissolved by August 13.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023