National Assembly session: Dar accuses Alvi of attempting to violate constitution

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader Ishaq Dar on Tuesday accused President Arif Alvi of attempting to violate the Constitution and urged him to “gracefully” resolve the issue and summon the National Assembly session as per the constitutional requirement.

Talking to reporter together with leaders of other political parties after a consultative meeting on government formation in Balochistan, Dar said that after 21 days of the general elections, the power to summon the National Assembly session no longer rests with the President.

He maintained that Article 91 of the Constitution is very clear that the session must be held within 21 days after the election.

Currently, he added that there are different opinions with regard to summoning of the National Assembly session. “If the President wants to violate the Constitution once again, he should not summon the session. The Constitution is very clear that the assembly meeting should be called within 21 days of the general elections,” Dar said.

He added that the President could have summoned the House on February 26, 27 or 28, adding that returning the summary by raising objections was “unjustified”, adding that the House completes when the members-elect are notified by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

He said that the Speaker National Assembly has to administer the oath from the members who will be present in the House. Dar further stated that the President should have summoned the session in a “dignified manner” following receiving the summary.

The PML-N leader deplored that the President raised objection on the summary on the alleged pretext of non-allocation of reserved seats to Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) – the coalition partner of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which also provide its platform for PTI’s winning independents to join the party.

“The game being played with the Constitution is not a good precedent. The president is once again violating the Constitution,” he further alleged. Dar added that there might be an interpretation on these actions of the President, adding that is a five-day period for the election of Speaker and Deputy Speaker.

He also hoped that the President may summon the House very soon which will create a good impression, adding that the federal government has sent a response to the President on the objections raised on the summary.

President Alvi on Monday rejected the summary of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, signed by the caretaker Prime Minister, seeking to summon the National Assembly session on February 29, and raised objection over “incomplete” allocation of reserved seats by the ECP.

Further, rejecting the grounds under the summary was rejected, Dar urged Speaker National Assembly to make all arrangements for holding the session on February 29 (Thursday) as per the relevant article of the Constitution which stipulates that the session must be held within 21 days of the general polls. He highlighted instances where members were unable to take their oaths during previous sessions, emphasizing the importance of upholding constitutional procedures.

Sharing details of the meeting with the allied parties, particularly Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Dar said that it has already been decided that they would elect the President, Speaker and Deputy Speaker together as per the agreement.

Dar further stated that the session of Balochistan provincial assembly is being held today (Wednesday) and both the parties, PML-N and PPP will elect the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker with each other’s support and also form a collation government in the province.

About the chief minister Balochistan and other portfolios of the provincial cabinet, he said that PML-N and PPP will make decision jointly after consultation. He added that they want all the political parties to go together so that to steer the country out of the prevailing crises.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024