Caretaker govt responds to President’s concerns about NA session

February 27, 2024
10:57 pm

ISLAMABAD: The interim federal government has responded to President Dr. Arif Alvi’s concerns regarding the returned summary for convening the inaugural session of the National Assembly (NA).

The federal government clarified to Dr. Arif Alvi that, according to Article 91 of the Constitution of 1973, the president lacks the discretion or authority to postpone the National Assembly session. Sources from the federal government emphasized that nowhere in Article 91 does it stipulate that the session cannot be called if the House is incomplete.

They underscored that the president’s authority is limited to adjourning the ordinary session of the National Assembly under Article 54 of the Constitution. The summary presented to the president requested the summoning of an extraordinary meeting of the National Assembly for the oath-taking of newly elected members.

The interim federal government urged Dr. Arif Alvi to reconsider his decision and summon the National Assembly session by February 29. They clarified that the Constitution does not specify that the session cannot be convened if specific seats are yet to be allotted.

Additionally, they pointed out that Clause 2 of Article 91 of the Constitution mandates the summoning of the National Assembly within 21 days of the election. Even if the President fails to call the session by February 29, it will still take place on the same day, as asserted by the caretaker government in its response.

Previously, on Monday, Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf summoned the National Assembly session for Thursday, February 29, for the oath-taking of newly elected Members of the National Assembly (MNAs).

The Speaker invoked Clause 2 of Article 91 of the Constitution to summon the inaugural session of the National Assembly after President Arif Alvi declined to do so, citing the incomplete status of the lower house due to pending decisions on certain reserved seats.

Raja Pervaiz Ashraf scheduled the inaugural session of the National Assembly for 10 am on Thursday, during which he will administer the oath to the newly elected members. The election schedule for the speaker and deputy speaker will also be announced during the inaugural session.