Government’s tenure
ISLAMABAD: Ending rumors about the next set-up, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that the tenure of the coalition government is ending on 14th of August.
He also said that the general elections will be held either in October or November this year.
Prime Minister stated this today at the inauguration ceremony of the Pakistan Education Endowment Fund. It envisages reforms in the National Curriculum in Islamabad.
Premier said, “Whoever assumes power after the elections, education will be given the utmost priority.”
He pointed out that in the current fiscal year, the government has allocated Rs3 billion for this fund. The aim is to provide education to the youth and empower them to become nation builders.
PM Shehbaz further explained, “This year, the budget will be utilized for scholarships rather than being deposited into the endowment fund.”
He also stated that the fund already granted scholarships to four hundred and fifty thousand students.
Assemblies will be dissolved on August 13: Rana Sanaullah
A day earlier, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah stated that it is possible to dissolve the assemblies earlier than August 13. It would facilitate the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold elections.
“If the assemblies are dissolved before August 13, the ECP will get more time to hold elections,” he said. Rana stated this in response to a question about the ruling coalition looking to delay elections till November.
He asserted that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was clear that assemblies should be dissolved and elections held on time.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) dissolved before time the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly in January. However, the other political parties refused to dissolve Sindh, Balochistan and National Assemblies.
Following the dissolution of the assemblies, a caretaker setup will take over government affairs in Islamabad, Karachi, and Quetta.
However, he added that the 90-day period did not mean the ECP would hold elections on the 90th day but could do so at any date of its choosing, “be it after 64 days or 72 days”.
Nevertheless, he assured: “The assemblies will be dissolved after completing their term, after which the caretaker set-up will come and elections will be held in accordance with the Constitution.”
