Pakistan’s parliament to be dissolved on August 8, poll date not decided yet: Report

Pakistan’s ruling coalition parties have agreed to dissolve the parliament on August 8, four days before its full five-year term ends, according to local media reports.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) — the two major stakeholders in the federal government — have agreed to dissolve the National Assembly on August 8, reported Geo News.

The term of the incumbent National Assembly expires on August 12 at midnight.

Discussions were also held to dissolve the National Assembly either on August 9 or 10, but August 8 was finalised to avoid any hurdle in the early dissolution of the lower house of Parliament, the report said, quoting sources.

No election date set as of now

Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, however, said no date had been set for the general election.

“No decision has so far been taken on the dissolution of the parliament,” she said in a tweet, adding a formal announcement would be made about the election date after a consultation among all coalition partners.

It is believed that the general elections would take place in November, but official confirmation from the Election Commission of Pakistan is awaited.

According to Pakistani election laws, general elections should take place within 60 days if the elected house completes its constitutional tenure of five years.

If the National Assembly is dissolved prematurely, then elections are held within 90 days of the dissolution.

The five-year term of the National Assembly began when Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan was elected as the prime minister on August 12, 2018.

After his ouster due to a no-confidence motion passed in the parliament, a coalition of parties under the leadership of Shehbaz took over.

Nawaz Sharif might contest elections

On July 7, Pakistan’s law minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said that the lifetime disqualification of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif—who is on a self-imposed exile in London —has ended and he can now contest elections.

The 73-year-old has been living in London since November 2019 for medical treatment after a court allowed him a four-week reprieve.

The supremo of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was serving a seven-year jail term in Lahore's Kot Lakhpat Jail when the high court allowed him to leave the country on medical grounds in November 2019.

Ever since the PML(N) came to power, there have been talks of Nawaz returning to Pakistan. Speculations have also been rife about Nawaz contesting for the premiership in this year’s general elections.

(With inputs from agencies)

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