Ishaq Dar castigates President Alvi for attempting to ‘breach’ constitution

ISLAMABAD: PML-N Senator Ishaq Dar on Tuesday castigated President Dr Arif Alvi for attempting to ‘breach’ constitution after the latter refused to summon National Assembly (NA) session on account of an ‘incomplete house’, ARY News reported.

Speaking to journalists in Islamabad, the former finance minister stressed that failure by the President to sign the necessary documents for the assembly sitting indicated a ‘deliberate attempt to disrupt proceedings’, suggesting a disregard for constitutional principles.

Ishaq Dar pointed out that the Constitution of Pakistan is clear on the summoning of the sitting of lower house of Parliament following the general elections. “If he [President Alvi] wants to once again violate the Constitution, then it would mean that he does not want the NA to convene,” he noted.

He further said the president could have summoned the National Assembly session any day before Feb 29, but he delayed the process. He also refuted President Alvi’s assertion that the constitution was incomplete, citing reports of a federal government response to the objections raised.

Expressing frustration at what he dubbed as “games being played with the constitution”, Dar said that the matter should have been handled gracefully.

Speaking of formation of government in Balochistan, Ishaq 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.

“All our allies, who are supporting us will also be included in the alliance,” he said, noting that their effort will be to take everyone together.

He reiterated that the PPP and PML-N has decided to come together for the Balochistan Assembly, which is scheduled for tomorrow.

The statement came a day after National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf had summoned the maiden sitting of lower house of Parliament on Feb 29 as President Arif Alvi refused to summon the session on account of an ‘incomplete house’.

In response to a summary by the Parliamentary Affairs Division last week, the president said the lower house was not complete, so he could not summon the session as requested.

Sources claimed that President Alvi wanted to delay the session till the issuance of a notification by the Election Commission of Pakistan regarding the reserved seats of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), which was joined by PTI-backed lawmakers.

The Speaker would administer the oath to the newly elected members of the National Assembly. The schedule for speaker and deputy speaker elections will also be issued in the inaugural session.

Under the Constitution, the first session of the National Assembly is required to be convened within 21 days after the general elections held on Feb 8. Section 91(2) of the Constitution says: “The National Assembly shall meet on the twenty-first day following the day on which a general election to the assembly is held, unless sooner summoned by the president.”

According to a senior official of the National Assembly Secretariat, the president is duty-bound to call the session of the NA within 21 days; otherwise, the secretariat itself could announce the session. He said the secretariat had made all necessary arrangements for the new assembly’s first session.