In a bold move, the government has decided to bypass President Arif Alvi to convene the National Assembly session, citing his unresponsiveness to their requests. Instead, the session will be called through the speaker, with sources indicating a likely date of February 29th.
The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs is set to send a session summary directly to Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, sidestepping the need for President Alvi’s approval. This decision comes after President Alvi failed to sign the session summary, which was forwarded to him four days ago.
The urgency stems from the constitutional requirement that the new National Assembly must convene within 21 days of general elections. With the deadline falling on February 29th, the government is taking proactive steps to ensure parliamentary proceedings continue without delay.
Media reports suggest that President Alvi’s delay may be linked to the notification of Sunni Ittehad Council’s reserved seats. However, this delay has prompted the government to take matters into its own hands to uphold parliamentary protocol.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Pakistan has yet to notify all reserved seats for minorities and women in the lower house of Parliament, further complicating the situation. As the political landscape continues to evolve, all eyes are on the upcoming National Assembly session and its implications for the country’s governance.
