Pakistan president dissolves national assembly on advice of prime minister

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA): Pakistan’s President Arif Alvi on Wednesday dissolved the country’s national assembly on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the President’s Office said.

Alvi signed the advice half an hour after it was sent by Sharif late Wednesday night, paving the way for a caretaker setup that will hold general elections.

Sharif will continue to serve as acting prime minister until the caretaker premier takes an oath.

The prime minister and the opposition leader are expected to meet on Thursday to finalize the name of the caretaker prime minister, who will serve until the polls that are due later this year.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the country’s top electoral body, requires at least four months for new delimitations in line with the latest census results, which could push the election date to next year.

Sensing a possible delay, the Senate on Wednesday passed a resolution urging the country’s top electoral body to hold general elections within the stipulated time given in the Constitution.

Presented by Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, the resolution also asked all the state institutions to assist, in every possible manner, the ECP in holding polls.