Pakistan National Assembly to meet after session summoned by President Alvi

Pakistan’s newly-elected Parliament will meet on Thursday for its maiden session as President Dr Arif Alvi finally summoned the Assembly after differing with the caretaker government over the issue of former prime minister Imran Khan’s party-backed candidates being allotted the reserved seats.

Early on Thursday, Alvi approved a move from the caretaker parliamentary affairs ministry to summon the newly-elected National Assembly’s first session on February 29, according to a statement posted by the president’s X account.

“Subject to some reservations, President Dr Arif Alvi has summoned to convene the National Assembly on February 29 in exercise of the powers conferred by Article 54(1) of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,” the statement said.

It said that the president accorded his approval keeping in view “the mandate and implications of the timeline given in Article 91 (2) and subject to some reservations and expecting the resolution of the issue of the reserved seats before the 21st day [after the general elections].”

The late-night statement also took issue with the tone of the summary sent to Alvi by the caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, adding that the president was calling the session as he expected that the issue of reserved seats would be settled by the 21st day after the polls, as envisaged in the law.

According to constitutional provisions, the meeting of the National Assembly must be convened within 21 days of the elections, and February 29 is the mandated date under Article 91.

The newly elected Parliament will meet on Thursday for its maiden session amidst a row over the alleged rigging of votes.

In the opening session, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, the outgoing Speaker of the previous Parliament, would administer the oath to the new members and adjourn the session for the next Assembly to elect the new speaker and deputy speaker.

The election for the post of prime minister is expected on Saturday, and former premier Shehbaz Sharif is poised to be elected as the new leader of the House.

On Monday, Alvi, a close aide of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan and a former senior member of his party, rejected a move from the caretaker parliamentary affairs ministry to summon the National Assembly’s first session, maintaining that all reserved seats be allocated before its summoning.