NA to be dissolved three days shy of term completion

PM Shehbaz announces date of sending advice to president at dinner for MPs; promises consensus on caretakers

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif announced on Thursday the dissolution of the National Assembly on August 9, three days before the lower house of parliament would complete its five-year term, prompting the general election within 90 days.
Shahbaz met with parliamentary leaders of the allied parties in the coalition government at a dinner he hosted in honour of the members of parliament, and discussed with them the country's political situation.

During the meeting, Shehbaz sought inputs from allied parties leaders and the arrangements for the incoming caretaker set-up. The caretaker government is crucial part of the democratic process, ensuring fair elections a smooth transition of power.

It is learnt that Prime Minister Shehbaz will send a advice to the president for the dissolution of the National Assembly on August 9. According to the Constitution, the assembly will stand dissolved as soon as the president would sign the advice.

However, if for any reason, the president does not sign the advice, the assembly will be automatically dissolved after 48 hours of receiving the prime minister’s advice, according to constitutional experts.

With a view to to reach a consensus between the government and the opposition on the name of caretaker prime minister, Shehbaz assured meeting that after three days of consultation with the opposition, he would submit the name to the president.

However, experts said, if no agreement was reached, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) would step in and nominate a candidate for the caretaker prime minister’s position from the proposed names.

Addressing the parliamentarians during the dinner, Shehbaz vowed to bring in a caretaker set-up that would be acceptable to all stakeholders. “This will ensure transparency, fairness, and impartiality during the transitional period.”

Prime Minister Shehbaz acknowledged the challenging circumstances under which he took over the government. He emphasised that despite obstacles and criticism, the government worked diligently.

"Our conscience is clear. We took the country out of the vortex by sacrificing our own politics," he stated, acknowledging the efforts made by the coalition government to overcome various difficulties.

Notably, Prime Minister Shehbaz highlighted the successful negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), underscoring the importance of economic stability for the nation's progress.

Earlier in the day, Shehbaz Sharif, while addressing the inauguration ceremony of the Bhara Kahu bypass in Islamabad, said that he was not bothered by remarks about him that he was an “establishment man”.

He emphasised that he held meetings with many army chiefs, because those were essential for the country. “People taunt me, calling me the establishment’s man. But this doesn’t bother me. Why? Because … I did not intend to get any personal gains,” he said.

During his 38 years in politics, Shehbaz said, he had met with several army chiefs both while in power and during his time in the opposition. He clarified that these meetings aimed at fostering collaboration between politicians and the institutions.

He recalled his close ties with former military ruler, Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf, but emphasised that their relationship did not prevent him from sending former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and he himself to exile.

He added that his vision for Pakistan was to see politicians and the establishment in Rawalpindi, working together to realise the dream of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah for the country betterment.

The Bhara Kahu bypass, completed by the National Logistics Cell (NLC) within nine months at a cost of Rs6.25 billion, successfully removed a major bottleneck and reduced travel time for millions of commuters heading to Murree, Azad Kashmir, and Galiyat.

Shehbaz praised the completion of the project despite challenges. He expressed gratitude to Chief of Army Staff Gen Asim Munir for his cooperation, without which the project's completion would have been difficult.

Criticising the previous governments, Shehbaz pointed out wastage of billions of rupees from the national exchequer due to impediments to public projects. He cited the example of the Haveli Bahadur Shah Power Plant.

(With input from APP)