Quetta: The Balochistan Assembly was dissolved on Saturday after Governor Malik Abdul Wali Kakar signed the summary of dissolution of the Provincial Assembly on behalf of Chief Minister Abdul Qudous Bizenjo.
“On the advice of Mir Abdul Qudous Bizenjo, Chief Minister of Balochistan and in exercise of the powers conferred on me under Article 112(1) of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973, I, Malik Abdul Wali Khan Kakar, Governor. Notification issued by Governor House It has been stated that Balochistan hereby dissolves the Provincial Assembly of Balochistan on 12 August 2023 at 5 PM.
After the assembly was dissolved, the provincial cabinet was also dissolved. Chief Minister Hashil Bizenjo will continue to hold his post till the caretaker Chief Minister is appointed.
Now Chief Minister Hasil Bizenjo and Leader of Opposition in Balochistan Assembly Malik Sikander will consult regarding the appointment of interim Chief Minister.
A day earlier, Sindh Governor Kamran Tesori had signed a summary submitted by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to dissolve the provincial assembly just a day before the completion of its five-year constitutional term.
Following the dissolution, the Sindh Cabinet has also been dissolved, while Chief Minister Murad will remain in office until a caretaker successor is appointed.
Meanwhile, the assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) were dissolved in January this year after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan issued orders for their dissolution in November last year.
On January 20, former KP Chief Secretary Azam Khan was appointed as the interim Chief Minister of the province after the provincial government reached an agreement with the opposition.
Meanwhile, Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi was sworn in as the Caretaker Chief Minister of Punjab on January 22.
On August 9, President Dr. Arif Alvi approved the premature dissolution of the National Assembly immediately after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sent a summary.
After the dissolution of the National Assembly, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the leader of the opposition in the outgoing National Assembly, Raja Riaz, went on a consultation tour to decide on a name for the Caretaker Prime Minister.
Earlier today, Senator Anwarul Haq Kakar, a legislator belonging to Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), was elected caretaker prime minister.
How is the interim chief minister appointed?
After the provincial assembly is dissolved, the government will need a caretaker setup, regardless of whether the governor approves the summary signed by the chief minister or not.
Unlike the practice in other countries, Pakistan’s constitution stipulates that the caretaker government must be sworn in until a new government is elected by the people.
Article 224 of the Constitution defines the process of appointment of caretaker government at the Center and the provinces.
The elected chief minister will continue his duties for a few days until the formation of the caretaker government.
Of all the elected representatives, it is only the incumbent Speaker of the Assemblies, who will hold office until the newly elected legislators are sworn in and elect their replacements.
For the formation of a caretaker government, the Chief Ministers will write to the Leader of the Opposition within 48 hours of the dissolution of the Assembly, asking for three names for the caretaker Chief Minister and recommending three names themselves.
If any impasse between the two leaders continues for three days, the speaker of the respective assembly will form a committee of six members of the outgoing assembly with equal representation from the treasury and the opposition.
The Chief Minister and the Leader of the Opposition will send two candidates to the committee.
The committee will then have three days to reach consensus on a name. If this also fails, the names of the nominees will be sent to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for a final decision within two days.
The selected candidate will perform his duties as the interim chief minister till the formation of the new government in the province. He also has the power to include the caretaker chief executive in his cabinet.
The ECP is bound to hold general elections in the province within 90 days after the appointment of supervisors.
