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  • 8/10/2023
Amid political turmoil and an ongoing economic crisis, Pakistan dissolved its parliament late last evening on the recommendation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, setting the stage for a general election. The notification for the dissolution of the Parliament was issued by the Aiwan-i-Sadr, which said the National Assembly was dissolved under Article 58 of the Constitution.

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00:00 Amid political turmoil and an ongoing economic crisis, Pakistan dissolved its parliament
00:07 late last evening on the recommendation of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, setting the
00:12 stage for a general election.
00:14 The notification for the dissolution of the parliament was issued by the Ewa Nisar Durr,
00:19 which said the National Assembly was dissolved under Article 58 of the Constitution.
00:25 The decision was taken on Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif's advice late Wednesday night, the
00:30 President's office said.
00:31 The advice came three days ahead of the parliament's five-year term, which expires on August 12.
00:37 The dissolution has paved the way for a caretaker government to oversee elections in which former
00:42 Prime Minister Imran Khan will be unable to participate.
00:46 Khan was jailed over the weekend after being convicted of corruption in one of the several
00:50 cases filed against him since his removal from office in April 2022.
00:55 "I will tonight advise the President to dissolve the parliament," the Premier had earlier told
00:59 the parliament.
01:00 He said he would start discussions with the opposition leader on Thursday to pick from
01:04 candidates recommended from both sides to nominate a caretaker Prime Minister.
01:09 The vote, however, could be delayed several months, with the Election Commission set to
01:13 start redrawing hundreds of constituencies based on fresh census.
01:18 In his farewell address at the National Assembly on Wednesday, Mr. Shahbaz Sharif said, "Tonight,
01:22 with the permission of the House, I will send the advice for the dissolution of the National
01:26 Assembly to the President."
01:27 According to reports, the Pakistani government is considering postponing the elections as
01:32 it struggles to stimmy security and political challenges that threaten to destabilise an
01:37 already crash-strapped country.
01:40 However, analysts have said any delay in the election could fuel public anger and add to
01:45 uncertainty in the nuclear-armed nation.
01:48 The instability in parliament has also put the US on alert.
01:51 "We are obviously concerned about any actions, particularly violent actions, that can contribute
01:56 to instability in Pakistan or, frankly, any other country with whom we share a set of
02:00 common interests when it comes to counter-terrorism," White House official John Kirby said.
02:06 The last general election in July 2018 was won by the party of cricketer-turned-politician
02:11 Imran Khan, who was sworn in days later as prime minister for the first time.
02:15 Khan has been at the centre of political turmoil since he was ousted as prime minister in a
02:21 no-confidence vote last year, raising concern about Pakistan's stability.
02:26 He has since been convicted and jailed in a graft case, following which he has been
02:30 barred from taking part in any election for five years.
02:33 Khan has accused the powerful military, which has ruled Pakistan since independence in 1947,
02:38 of being responsible for his ousting.
02:40 The military has denied the charge.
02:43 Khan was replaced by Sharif, who has been grappling with a debilitating economic crisis
02:47 and historically high inflation levels as the government implemented painful reforms
02:52 to secure funding from the IMF.
02:54 In addition to the legal issues that could crop up if the vote is delayed, the sidelining
02:58 of Khan, the country's most popular leader, according to polls, will cast double over
03:02 the credibility of the elections.
03:04 [MUSIC PLAYING]

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