Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is anticipated to advise the President about dissolving the National Assembly on Tuesday. The President might proceed to dissolve the assembly on Wednesday. An insider shared that the prime minister is set to send his recommendation for dissolution to President Dr. Alvi on Tuesday, and the President’s endorsement is expected on Wednesday.
The dissolution of the National Assembly will clear the path for the interim government to take over. Dr. Hafeez Shaikh’s name has been prominently discussed as a potential interim premier. He previously served as the finance minister in the EX PM Imran Khan government and held a similar role during the last PPP government.
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah mentioned in a recent talk show that the names of Dr. Hafeez Shaikh and a retired judge are being considered for the interim prime minister role. Despite this, discussions have been ongoing about having an economist lead the caretaker government, especially given the focus on financial issues.
The Council of Common Interests has given the green light to the 2023 census. This means the caretaker government will likely stay until at least March 2024. When the National Assembly is dissolved, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will have 90 days to organize general elections.
Considering the new census, the ECP will need about four months to adjust the boundaries of constituencies according to the latest population figures.
