Pakistan's President Arif Alvi has not yet signed the authorization to convene the inaugural session of the new term of the country's National Assembly, as reported by The News on Sunday.
The delay stems from the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs' document awaiting the president's signature, with the observation that the lower house of parliament "remains unformed due to the non-allocation of certain quota seats."
According to the publication, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had previously allocated some federal parliamentary seats reserved for women and non-Muslim denominations among contesting parties. However, deliberations continue regarding quotas for the Sunni Ittehad Council, which recently saw a substantial influx of independent candidates allied with the Movement for Justice, who won the mid-February 2024 elections.
Citing the Constitution of Pakistan, The Express Tribune notes that even if the president declines to approve the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs' proposal, the first session of the new National Assembly is mandated to convene 21 days after the polls, which would be on February 29, 2024.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: AP/TASS
Based on materials from TASS