NA inaugural session summoned on Thursday

The National Assembly Secretariat has convened the inaugural session of the lower house of Parliament at 10am on Thursday.

In a notification issued by NA Secretary Tahir Hussain, it was disclosed that Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar has granted approval for the session under Article 91(2) of the Constitution.

The decision follows consultations with the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and the Ministry of Law.

On Monday President Dr Arif Alvi returned a caretaker government’s summary for convening the inaugural session of the National Assembly, prompting Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf to call the maiden sitting of the lower house of parliament on February 29.

Alvi, whose presidency is coming to a conclusion within a few weeks, emphasised that he would only approve the summary if the issue of reserved seats for women and minorities was resolved and distributed among the parties, as per law.

His delay tactics drew criticism from political parties, including the PML-N and PPP, urging him not to misuse his powers as the head of state.