ISLAMABAD: The president on Sunday signed a summary sent by the prime minister for the dissolution of the National Assembly under Article 58 of the Constitution and called an early election.
“The president of Pakistan, Dr Arif Alvi, has approved the advice of the prime minister of Pakistan to dissolve the National Assembly under Article 58 (1) read with Article 48(1) of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,” according to a statement issued by the President’s Secretariat.
The President of Pakistan, Dr Arif Alvi, has approved the advice of the Prime Minister of Pakistan to dissolve the National Assembly under the Article 58 (1) read with Article 48(1) of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
— The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) April 3, 2022
Article 58 says “the president shall dissolve the National Assembly if so advised by the prime minister, and the National Assembly shall, unless sooner dissolved, stand dissolved at the expiration of 48 hours after the prime minister has so advised.”
In a tweet, Minister of State for Information and Broadcast Farrukh Habib announced the elections “will be held in 90 days”.
New elections will be held in 90 days
— Farrukh Habib (@FarrukhHabibISF) April 3, 2022
Imran Khan announced his decision of sending the advice to Arif Alvi in a brief televised address after the no-confidence motion against him was dismissed by the deputy speaker of the National Assembly.
In his address delivered to the nation, Khan congratulated the nation for the motion being dismissed and said Suri had “rejected the attempt of changing the government [and] the foreign conspiracy” against Pakistan.
The prime minister said democrats should go to the public and fresh polls should be held so the people could decide who they wanted to see in power.
“Prepare for elections. No corrupt forces will decide what the future of the country will be. When the assemblies will be dissolved, the procedure for the next elections and the caretaker government will begin.”
“Under article 224 of the constitution, prime minister will continue his responsibilities, the Cabinet has been dissolved,” Minister for Information and Broadcast Fawad Chaudhry said in a tweet.
آئین کے آرٹیکل 224 کے تحت وزیر اعظم اپنی ذمہ داریاں جاری رکھیں گے کابینہ تحلیل کر دی گئ ہے
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) April 3, 2022
According to Article 224, after the dissolution of the House, the president, in consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, would appoint a caretaker prime minister.
It further reads: “When the National Assembly or a provincial assembly is dissolved, a general election to the assembly shall be held within a period of ninety days after the dissolution, and the results of the election shall be declared not later than fourteen days after the conclusion of the polls.”
