Shehbaz Sharif likely to reign as Pakistan's Prime Minister today
New Delhi : Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is likely to step down from his post today, leading to a premature dissolution of Pakistan's National Assembly. The aim behind this is to fetch additional time for organizing the upcoming general elections scheduled for later this year.
The established five-year term of the lower house of the Parliament is slated to conclude on August 12, but sources suggest that Prime Minister Sharif intends to initiate the dissolution process on August 9. A communication of advice will be directed to President Arif Alvi, a former leader of the opposing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party headed by Imran Khan. If the president hesitates, the assembly is set to dissolve within 48 hours of the premier's advice.
In a clear indication of his departure from the premiership, Shehbaz Sharif embarked on a farewell visit to the Pakistan Army's General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. During the visit, Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir accorded a warm welcome to the prime minister, and the event was marked by poignant ceremonies honoring the nation's fallen heroes.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)-led coalition government had initially planned to remain in power a few more days and dissolve the Parliament on August 11. However, political analysts speculate that President Alvi might delay the issuance of a dissolution notification. To circumvent this, the prime minister's advice for dissolution is being presented three days before the assembly's term concludes, ensuring that even if the president does not act promptly, the assembly will dissolve within its scheduled timeframe. This will provide the Election Commission of Pakistan a 90-day window for conducting elections.
Although the Election Commission is legally required to hold elections within 60 days of the assembly's completion of its constitutional term, the recent endorsement of a new census by the Council of Common Interests will necessitate delimitation, extending the timeline by 120 days.
Constitutionally, the incumbent prime minister will continue in office until a consensus on the caretaker's appointment is reached. The anticipated developments mark a critical juncture in Pakistan's political landscape, as the nation prepares for a significant transition.
