Minister for Information, Broadcasting, National History and Literary Heritage Syed Ali Zafar said on Friday that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had assured that it would complete legal formalities by August 11 or 12 and the first session of the recently-elected National Assembly may be convened on August 13 or 14.
Talking to media persons after visiting the National Archives of Pakistan, he said as per constitution, it was obligatory to summon the first session of the National Assembly in 21 days after elections, and it was imperative to fulfill this constitutional obligation by August 15.
He said in the inaugural session first of all new speaker and deputy speaker would be elected and then the all important election of the Leader of the House would be held, adding that the process could take three to four days.
He said after the election, the newly-elected Prime Minister would take oath and under constitutional provisions power would be transferred to the new government. The job of the caretakers would then be over, he added.
He said presently the ECP was completing the legal formalities including consolidations of elections results, collection of returns of expenditures from the wining candidates during the elections.
Published in Daily Times, August 4th 2018.
