Ishaq Dar says NA Speaker holds power to convene assembly; President Alvi insists on reserved seats allocation before NA Session
President delays NA session despite caretaker PM’s request
ISLAMABAD: The convening of the National Assembly remains shrouded in uncertainty as President Arif Alvi has not yet issued orders despite receiving a summary from Caretaker Prime Minister Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar. While Senator Ishaq Dar, a prominent figure within the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), has emphasized the constitutional authority vested in the Speaker of the National Assembly to convene a meeting if the President fails to do so.
Caretaker Prime Minister Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar sent a summary to the President seeking the assembly’s convening, but the reasons behind the delay in issuing the orders remain unclear. This lack of transparency has fueled speculation and concerns, particularly as crucial provincial leadership positions are being filled in Punjab and Sindh. According to the constitutional provisions outlined in Article 91 Clause 2, the National Assembly must convene within 21 days following the general elections, as advised by the caretaker prime minister.
The delay in calling the meeting of the 16th newly elected National Assembly has left many wondering about the rationale behind this decision. Constitutional experts assert that failure to convene the National Assembly meeting will automatically trigger its summons on February 29. Speaking to reporters outside the Punjab Assembly, Senator Dar highlighted the constitutional provisions allowing the Speaker to call a session if the President does not initiate the process.
According to the PML-N leader, a summary requesting the convening of a National Assembly meeting has been forwarded to the President’s office. However, with the President yet to act on the summary, he asserted that the Speaker possesses the legal prerogative to convene the assembly session, as stipulated by the constitution.
Dar further elaborated that the constitution grants the Speaker 21 days to convene a meeting if the President does not take action. Consequently, February 29 stands as the deadline for the Speaker to exercise this authority. He emphasized that similar rules apply to provincial assemblies, where the governor’s failure to convene a meeting invokes the same constitutional provision.
On the federal front, a coalition government comprising the PML-N, PPP, and MQM is poised to take charge. The agreed prime ministerial candidate is Shehbaz Sharif from the PML-N, while Asif Zardari of the PPP is expected to assume the presidency. The Senate chairman, too, is slated to be from the PPP. However, the position of the Speaker of the National Assembly will be filled by a member from the PML-N.
