ISLAMABAD - President Mamnoon Hussain on Thursday summoned the maiden session of the 15th National Assembly on August 13.

The move to summon the session was made after Prime Minister Justice (r) Nasirul Mulk sent the summary to the president.

On the other hand, the sessions of all the provincial assemblies are also likely to be called on the same date, according to Caretaker Information Minister Barrister Ali Zafar.

During the first day of national assembly session, newly elected members will take oath, to be administered by outgoing Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, after which the House will be adjourned.

According to the rules of procedure and conduct of business, the assembly is likely to meet again after a break of one-day when the elections for the speaker and the deputy speaker would take place.

The election for the speaker will precede and soon after the elections, the new speaker will take the rope from the outgoing speaker and will conduct the election of the deputy speaker the same day.

The House will be adjourned after the activity to meet against after a break of one or two days when the elections for the Leader of the House (prime minister) will take place.

According to article-91 of Constitution (Clause-II), “the NA shall meet on the 21st day following the day on which a general election to the Assembly is held unless sooner summoned by the president”.

“After the elections of the speaker and the deputy speaker following a general election or whenever the office of the prime minister falls vacant for any reason, the assembly shall, to the exclusion of any other business, proceed to elect without debate one of its Muslim members to be the Prime Minister,” it says.

The forthcoming ruling party (PTI) will nominate Imran Khan for the leader of the house, as the party has secured a majority of seats in the National Assembly.

On the other hand, the ‘grand opposition alliance’ has also nominated PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif as a candidate for the slot of the prime minister.

The PTI has the support of the PML-Q, the MQM-P, BNP-Mengal and a long list of independent candidates against the ‘grand opposition alliance’ – which comprises the PML-N (64 seats), PPP (43), the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (13) and others.

The election of the Leader of the House (prime minister) after the break of one or two days would be conducted by the newly-elected National Assembly speaker.

The prime minister is elected by the MNAs in accordance with the Second Schedule of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007.

“As a first step, the candidate has to be proposed for the position of prime minister by any fellow MNA. The nomination then has to be seconded by any another lawmaker”.

“If the number of votes secured by two or more candidates securing the highest number of votes is equal, further poll shall be held between them until one of them secures a majority of votes of the members present and voting, ” according to the prescribed procedure.

 PTI has simple majority at centre, Punjab: Fawad

Talking to newsmen in Islamabad, PTI Spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry said the party had now got the required simple majority to form governments in the Centre and Punjab.

He said that PTI had the required 172 numbers after the announcement of Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) to become part of PTI-led coalition at the Centre. In the National Assembly, PTI-led alliance has 179 or 180 members and so now there will be no need of second round of votes for election of PM, he said.

“In Punjab, 27 independent members-elect of the provincial assembly out of total 29 have joined PTI and thus we have reached the figure of 186 members,” he said, adding for the Punjab CM election, they have an absolute majority.

About the decision of PM-designate Imran Khan not to live in the existing PM House, Fawad said that it had not been decided yet that weather Imran would live in Punjab House or PM House or somewhere else.

It is an ongoing consultative process and it has not been finally decided where and the PTI chief would reside, he said adding that there were issues of security.

“For example if PM-designate will live in Bani Gala, the consideration is that there would be traffic blockade when he will move on daily basis for his office.”

He said Imran Khan did not want to trouble citizens. Moreover, road blockages would increase security threats, he added.

PTI spokesman said that Imran was getting messages of congratulations over his victory from the international leaders and a number of foreign envoys. Envoys of Russia, US, UK, UAE and Saudi Arabia had visited Bani Gala since July 25 victory of PTI.

It apparently looked that all international powers were looking forward to working with Imran Khan, he said, adding “we have decided that we will review foreign policy on Afghanistan and other matters”.

Fawad Chaudhry also said that a meeting of PTI’s parliamentary party of Sindh was held on Thursday and prime minister-in-waiting had advised the MNAs-elect and MPAs-elect to focus on the interior Sindh. There is a political gap in Sindh and PTI will fill the gap, he added.

To a question, he said that parliamentary party had given the authority to PTI chairman to nominate the candidates for Punjab CM and the speaker of the province, and he is yet to announce these two nominations.

 PTI’s request to President

Agencies ad: PTI leader Naeemul Haq, on behalf of his party, has requested President Mamnoon Hussain to defer his foreign visit for one day so that Imran Khan could take the oath of his office as prime minister.

Talking to the media on Thursday, he said, “We are trying Imran Khan to take his oath and Election Commission to issue the notification of his election as soon as possible”.

He said it is the democratic right of opposition parties to protest against the alleged rigging in general polls and their government would provide required legal help to them for addressing their concerns; however, it is ECP’s job to reopen the constituencies for recounting of votes.

Naeemul Haq said PTI government will try to take the opposition onboard and introduce such electoral reforms as would plug the loopholes and minimise the possibility of rigging in the next elections.

Responding to a question, he said that the rules of ECP had become old and it is need of the hour to bring improvement therein. “We are happy that opposition parties have decided to take oath in the first session of NA,” he concluded.

 

 

President summons NA session on 13th