As the August 13 deadline for the 15th National Assembly to culminate nears, there appears to be a split inside the ruling rainbow coalition on the schedule for the next general elections.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the senior partner in the ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) coalition government, has publicly maintained that it wants to hold the general elections within the constitutionally defined timeline without any further delay, noting that the momentum gained from the emergency deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and some other successes.
However, some senior voices within the party suggest that the polls could be delayed for at least a year.
Other major coalition partners – including the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) – have also expressed their desire to hold polls on time in background discussions with legislators from the various parties that form the PDM government.
Wait for Nawaz's return
Sources in the PML-N have suggested that some senior party members are of the opinion that any announcement for the schedule of elections should be made after former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif returns to Pakistan.
They are arguing that the polls be delayed until after the return of Nawaz Sharif and his acquittal from all court cases, party members suggested.
Talking exclusively to The Friday Times (TFT), senior PML-N politician Riaz Hussain Pirzada said, "Things are not final when it comes to holding the general elections".
He said that the incumbent government is "seriously contemplating all the pros and cons" of the upcoming elections.
"In my view, there should not be any delay in the polls," he stated, clarifying that his opinion is not universally shared in the party.
Senior PML-N member and member of the federal cabinet, Federal Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, recently stated that the assemblies would be dissolved in August after completing their tenure and that preparations for the general elections have begun.
However, the national political scene is turning more and more complex with each passing day. Members of the ruling coalition have started criticising each other's policies while murmurs of a widening 'trust deficit' are making their way around the halls of parliament.
In his press conference on Sunday, PDM President Maulana Fazlur Rehman, for the first time during this coalition, did not conceal his displeasure at being kept out of last month's grand confab in Dubai between PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and former president and PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari to 'resolve political issues'.
Rehman's main concern was why did two national political leaders not take the rest of the PDM parties into confidence.
Senior PPP leader Khursheed Shah later explained that during the 'Dubai huddle', PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari had agreed on the make-up of the caretaker setup, which will be installed in the country for the upcoming general elections.
Shah added that neither Zardari nor Nawaz were in favour of delaying the polls.
Delayed general elections
A brief history of delay in polls in the country reveals that the first general elections in Pakistan were scheduled to be held in 1951, but the government of PM Khawaja Nazimuddin postponed them by a year due to political unrest.
In 1958, the elections scheduled for that year were cancelled when President Iskander Mirza declared martial law and abolished the constitution.
In 1970, the general elections were postponed by the military regime of President Yahya Khan.
In 1977, elections scheduled for that year were held but were later declared null and void by the military government of General Ziaul Haq, who imposed martial law.
In 1988, the general elections scheduled were delayed due to the death of dictator General Ziaul Haq, who had ruled the country for over a decade.
In 2007, the general elections scheduled for the year were delayed due to the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
In 2013, general elections were delayed by a month due to the floods that had devastated many parts of the country.
Timeline of National Assembly's dissolution in the past
The first 'National Assembly' of Pakistan to be constitutionally dissolved was in 1954 when the then-prime minister Khawaja Nazimuddin used his powers to dissolve the Assembly.
Subsequently, in 1958, Governor-General Iskander Mirza dissolved the National Assembly before imposing martial law.
In 1977, after the elected Assembly completed its term, the then-Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto dissolved the National Assembly and announced fresh elections amid allegations of rigging.
In May 1988, President General Zia-ul-Haq dissolved the National Assembly that had been elected in 1985 and announced new elections. But he died in a plane crash before the elections could take place.
In 1990, President Ghulam Ishaq Khan used his powers to dissolve the National Assembly and announced new elections.
In 1993, President Ishaq Khan again dissolved the National Assembly, but the Supreme Court overturned the decision, and fresh elections were held.
In 1996, the then-Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto dissolved the National Assembly, and fresh elections were held, but her government was dismissed on corruption charges.
In 1999, General Pervez Musharraf staged a military coup and dissolved the National Assembly.
In 2002, then-President General Pervez Musharraf dissolved the National Assembly again and announced new elections, which were held in October.
In 2018, then-Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi dissolved the 14th National Assembly as it completed its tenure, leading to general elections in July that year, which were won by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the senior partner in the ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) coalition government, has publicly maintained that it wants to hold the general elections within the constitutionally defined timeline without any further delay, noting that the momentum gained from the emergency deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and some other successes.
However, some senior voices within the party suggest that the polls could be delayed for at least a year.
Other major coalition partners – including the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) – have also expressed their desire to hold polls on time in background discussions with legislators from the various parties that form the PDM government.
Wait for Nawaz's return
Sources in the PML-N have suggested that some senior party members are of the opinion that any announcement for the schedule of elections should be made after former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif returns to Pakistan.
They are arguing that the polls be delayed until after the return of Nawaz Sharif and his acquittal from all court cases, party members suggested.
Talking exclusively to The Friday Times (TFT), senior PML-N politician Riaz Hussain Pirzada said, "Things are not final when it comes to holding the general elections".
He said that the incumbent government is "seriously contemplating all the pros and cons" of the upcoming elections.
"In my view, there should not be any delay in the polls," he stated, clarifying that his opinion is not universally shared in the party.
Senior PML-N member and member of the federal cabinet, Federal Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, recently stated that the assemblies would be dissolved in August after completing their tenure and that preparations for the general elections have begun.
However, the national political scene is turning more and more complex with each passing day. Members of the ruling coalition have started criticising each other's policies while murmurs of a widening 'trust deficit' are making their way around the halls of parliament.
In his press conference on Sunday, PDM President Maulana Fazlur Rehman, for the first time during this coalition, did not conceal his displeasure at being kept out of last month's grand confab in Dubai between PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and former president and PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari to 'resolve political issues'.
Rehman's main concern was why did two national political leaders not take the rest of the PDM parties into confidence.
Senior PPP leader Khursheed Shah later explained that during the 'Dubai huddle', PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari had agreed on the make-up of the caretaker setup, which will be installed in the country for the upcoming general elections.
Shah added that neither Zardari nor Nawaz were in favour of delaying the polls.
Delayed general elections
A brief history of delay in polls in the country reveals that the first general elections in Pakistan were scheduled to be held in 1951, but the government of PM Khawaja Nazimuddin postponed them by a year due to political unrest.
In 1958, the elections scheduled for that year were cancelled when President Iskander Mirza declared martial law and abolished the constitution.
In 1970, the general elections were postponed by the military regime of President Yahya Khan.
In 1977, elections scheduled for that year were held but were later declared null and void by the military government of General Ziaul Haq, who imposed martial law.
In 1988, the general elections scheduled were delayed due to the death of dictator General Ziaul Haq, who had ruled the country for over a decade.
In 2007, the general elections scheduled for the year were delayed due to the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
In 2013, general elections were delayed by a month due to the floods that had devastated many parts of the country.
Timeline of National Assembly's dissolution in the past
The first 'National Assembly' of Pakistan to be constitutionally dissolved was in 1954 when the then-prime minister Khawaja Nazimuddin used his powers to dissolve the Assembly.
Subsequently, in 1958, Governor-General Iskander Mirza dissolved the National Assembly before imposing martial law.
In 1977, after the elected Assembly completed its term, the then-Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto dissolved the National Assembly and announced fresh elections amid allegations of rigging.
In May 1988, President General Zia-ul-Haq dissolved the National Assembly that had been elected in 1985 and announced new elections. But he died in a plane crash before the elections could take place.
In 1990, President Ghulam Ishaq Khan used his powers to dissolve the National Assembly and announced new elections.
In 1993, President Ishaq Khan again dissolved the National Assembly, but the Supreme Court overturned the decision, and fresh elections were held.
In 1996, the then-Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto dissolved the National Assembly, and fresh elections were held, but her government was dismissed on corruption charges.
In 1999, General Pervez Musharraf staged a military coup and dissolved the National Assembly.
In 2002, then-President General Pervez Musharraf dissolved the National Assembly again and announced new elections, which were held in October.
In 2018, then-Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi dissolved the 14th National Assembly as it completed its tenure, leading to general elections in July that year, which were won by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).