Pakistan's National Assembly to be dissolved on August 9, announces PM Shehbaz Sharif

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that National Assembly would be dissolved on August 9, three days before term of lower house of Parliament is scheduled to end, a move which will prompt general elections in country within 90 days.

Sharif said this on Thursday at a dinner reception hosted in honour of ruling allies at Prime Minister's House, Dawn newspaper reported on Friday ruling coalition government is getting rey to face an election at completion of five-year term of Parliament on August 12.

Constitution provides that if National Assembly completes its tenure, elections are to be held in 60 days, but in case of premature dissolution, this period is extended to 90 days.

prime minister will send a notification to President Arif Alvi for dissolution of National Assembly on August 9, Express Tribune newspaper reported.

According to Constitution, assembly will stand dissolved as soon as president signs notification.

However, if, for any reason, president does not sign vice, assembly will be automatically dissolved after 48 hours of receiving prime minister’s notification, report said.

At reception, Sharif apprised participants that ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) h finalised consultations within party, and premier will begin a final round of discussions with allies on caretaker set-up on Friday. This process is expected to take at least three days.

An online meeting with allies on caretaker set-up is also expected to be held on Friday.

On Thursday, Foreign Minis­ter Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari also held a lengthy meeting with prime minister on this issue, source said, according to report.

premier briefed his allies at dinner about coalition government's performance. He claimed that government h increased revenue collection by 13 per cent in 15 months as more than 1.3 million new taxpayers were included in tax net.

Sharif claimed recoveries remained over 90 per cent in power sector. However, it may be noted that circular debt posted an 18 per cent — Rs 393 billion — increase in past 11 months, according to report.

prime minister said that significant progress was witnessed during last four months in IT sector and ded that total volume of IT expo­rts went up to USD 2.6 billion in previous fiscal year.

He said that foreign investment remained at USD 1.45 billion during fiscal year 2022-23 and hoped that with establishment of Special Investment Facili­tation Council (SIFC), more foreign invest­ment would be fetched.

Sharif said with Rs 1.8 trillion Kissan Package, government has met 99 per cent of targets and saved country from default. He ded that comprehensive policies have been devised for welfare of people.

reception was attended by Senate Chairman Siq Sanjrani, Speaker of National Assembly Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leers Yousuf Raza Gilani, and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam(F) (JUI-F) leer As Mehmood, Balochistan Awami Party leers Khalid Magsi and Senator Ahmed Khan, Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) Chairman Shahzain Bugti, Aslam Bhootani, Mohsin Dawar and were also among those who attended reception, according to report.