Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb on Tuesday said so far no decision had been taken on the date for dissolution of the National Assembly.
“A decision has not been taken yet on the NA’s dissolution date. The date will be decided in consultation with the PDM and allied parties. The decision on the date of dissolution of the National Assembly will be officially announced,” the minister tweeted.
Uncertainty surrounds the timing of the upcoming general elections in Pakistan. The mainstream media has been abuzz with contradictory remarks, creating confusion among the public.
Federal Minister for Commerce Naveed Qamar, a member of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), recently suggested that the National Assembly should be dissolved on August 8. Qamar emphasized that this would provide sufficient time for the Election Commission of Pakistan to organize the elections, which he proposed to be held in November.
However, another cabinet member from the PPP dismissed Qamar’s statement as a “personal opinion or suggestion” and asserted that the party has yet to reach a decision on the dissolution date for the National Assembly.
According to the law, general elections must take place within 60 days if the elected house completes its constitutional tenure of five years. In the case of early dissolution, elections are held within 90 days of the dissolution.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif further complicated matters during a recent public event, where he announced plans to hand over the reins to the caretaker government next month, well before the completion of the assembly’s tenure.
“Our government will complete its tenure next month,” Prime Minister Sharif stated. “However, we will leave before the completion of our tenure, and an interim government will assume office.”
With these contradictory statements from key coalition leaders, uncertainty looms over the exact timeline for the dissolution of the National Assembly and the subsequent general elections.
