ISLAMABAD: PML-N Senator Ishaq Dar on Tuesday criticized President Dr Arif Alvi for attempting to ‘breach’ the Constitution after the latter refused to convene a National Assembly (NA) session on account of an ‘incomplete house’.
Speaking to reporters in Islamabad, Dar emphasized that failure by the President to sign the necessary documents for the assembly session indicated a ‘deliberate attempt to disrupt proceedings’, suggesting a disregard for constitutional principles.
He said that the Constitution of Pakistan is clear on the summoning of the NA session following the general elections. If President Alvi wants to violate the Constitution once again, then it would mean that he does not want the National Assembly to convene.
Dar said the President could have summoned the NA session any day before February 29, but he delayed the process.
Speaking of the formation of government in Balochistan, Dar said that the PML-N and PPP will extend their alliance for the election of the chief minister, speaker, and deputy speaker in the province.
He reiterated that both parties had decided to come together for the Balochistan Assembly, which is scheduled for Wednesday.
The statement came a day after NA Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf had summoned the inaugural session of the National Assembly on February 29 as President Alvi refused to summon the session on account of an ‘incomplete house.’
President Refuses to Summon NA Session
In response to a summary by the Parliamentary Affairs Division last week, he said the NA was not complete, so he could not summon the session as requested.
President Alvi reportedly wanted to delay the session till the issuance of a notification by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) regarding the reserved seats of the Sunni Ittehad Council, which was joined by PTI-backed lawmakers.
