Pakistan: National Assembly to be dissolved by August 13, says Law Minister

Islamabad [Pakistan], July 7 : Citing that the dissolution of the National Assembly before its tenure cannot be ruled in the current political situation, Pakistan Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said on Thursday that once the tenure ends, a caretaker set up will be established, ARY news reported.

Further speaking on the amendments in the Election Act, Tarar said that Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif's lifetime disqualification has ended, and now he and Jahangir Tareen, both are eligible to contest the elections.

He further said that an individual will not face lifetime disqualification anymore in accordance with today's law as the maximum disqualification period is five years.

"If someone thinks that a person is a beneficiary of these amendments, then it would be someone else tomorrow. It is the constitutional jurisdiction of the Parliament to legislate and amend laws. The legislation work cannot be carried out by any institutions other than the Parliament," ARY news quoted Tarar as saying.

Tarar said that not a single decision can be made without consultations with the coalition partners in the government.

He added that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) amendments were presented before the heads of the coalition parties before it was presented to the federal cabinet.

Last month, the incumbent government's coalition partners held consultations over pre-date dissolution of the National Assembly (NA).

"The matter was discussed in Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's meetings with the PPP's delegation and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman," ARY quoted sources.

Notably, the Pakistan National Assembly will complete its constitutional term on August 13 this year, while the ruling coalition government is consulting dissolving the house, a few days earlier on August 9-10, ARY news reported citing sources.