ISLAMABAD – Minister for Information, Broadcasting, National History andLiterary Heritage Syed Ali Zafar Friday said Election Commission ofPakistan (ECP) had assured that it would complete legal formalities byAugust 11 or 12 and the first session of the recently-elected NationalAssembly may be convened on August 13 or 14.
Talking to media persons after visiting the National Archives of Pakistanhere he said as per constitution, it was obligatory to summon first sessionof the National Assembly within 21 days after elections and it wasimperative to fulfill this constitutional obligation by August 15.He said in the inaugural session first of all new speaker and deputyspeaker would be elected and then all important election of new leader ofthe house such as; the prime minister would be held and this process maytake three to four days.
He said after election, the newly-elected prime minister would take oathand the job of the caretakers would be over and under constitutionalprovisions power would be transferred to the new government.He said presently the ECP was completing the legal formalities includingconsolidations of elections results, collection of returns of expendituresfrom the wining candidates during the elections.
Then independents are given time to decide whether they want to join anypolitical party or stay independent, Ali Zafar said adding that after that,the ECP would issue the party position status in the assembly and issue thelist of winning candidates on reserved seat for women and minorities.
To a question he said the caretaker government during its short tenureunder the leadership of caretaker Prime Minister Nasirul Mulk had performedits duties with commitment and dedication and took steps for overcomingchallenges in power, energy, water, law and petroleum sectors and mattersrelated to foreign affairs and prepared guidelines which he hoped wouldhelp the next government to run the business of the governance smoothly.Earlier the minister visited various sections of the National Archives ofPakistan and inspected centuries old manuscripts and books.
Addressing the officers and staff of Pakistan National Archives he saidpreservation of national archives was critical not only from historicalperspective but they also helped the nations to learn from past mistakes.He appreciated the plan of digitalization of archives which would provideaccess to the users on their computers and laptops at their homes as well.
He said spending on preservation of archives was no less important thanexpenditure on water, power and economy.