ISLAMABAD: Senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Senator Ishaq Dar has said that if President Dr. Arif Alvi will not convene the session of the National Assembly, constitutional privilege allows the Speaker to convene the session on February 29.
Addressing the media outside the Punjab Assembly, Dar emphasized that as per constitutional mandates, the National Assembly must be convened within 21 days of the date of general elections, underscoring the urgency of the matter.
He further emphasized that this principle also applies to provincial assemblies, clarifying that if the governor does not convene a session of the provincial assembly, a similar procedure can be followed.
The former finance minister refrained from delving into the intricacies of economic strategies, suggesting such discussions were better suited to more appropriate forums.
Sources revealed that Dr. Arif Alvi is reportedly delaying signing the summary for convening the National Assembly.
According to insiders familiar with the matter, the summary was sent to the president yesterday, but Dr Alvi is said to be asserting his authority to delay the process by up to 15 days.
It is understood that the attitude of Dr. Alviho relies on his interpretation of constitutional provisions and believes he has the prerogative to delay signing the summary.
Key figures close to the situation disclosed that the President was informed of the constitutional imperative ordering the convening of the National Assembly by February 29.
Earlier in the day, PPP candidate Syed Owais Shah was elected as the 18th Speaker of the Sindh Assembly after getting 111 votes in favour.
The election of Speaker and Deputy Speaker was held by secret ballot under the leadership of now former Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani.
Around 147 members of the provincial legislature cast their vote today, however, nine PTI-affiliated members and one legislator from Jamaat-e-Islami did not participate in the vote.
MQM-P nominated Sofia Shah who managed to get only 36 votes.
PPP’s Anthony Naveed was elected as the Deputy Speaker of the Sindh Assembly after getting 111 votes. MQM-P’s Rashid Khan got 36 votes.
Anthony is the first deputy speaker of the provincial legislature from a minority group. He hugged Speaker Owais Shah after the victory.
A day earlier, several new and young faces who won the recent Sindh general elections were sworn in as Sindh Assembly legislators.
