Mahmood Khan, the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, gave Governor Haji Ghulam Ali the go-ahead on Tuesday to dissolve the province legislature, keeping his pledge to PTI Chairman Imran Khan and clearing the way for new elections.
Days prior, Punjab Assembly was dissolved by Chief Minister Parvez Elahi after Governor Baligh Ur Rehman refused to sign the summary that was provided to him.
“I, Mahmood Khan Chief Minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in pursuance of Article 112(1) of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan do hereby forward my advice for dissolution of the Provincial Assembly of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on January 17, 2023,” read the statement.
A spokeswoman for the K-P government, Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, verified the news and stated that the governor has been handed the summary for the dissolution of the legislature.
The legislature will be immediately dissolved after 48 hours, he continued, “even if the governor rejects the report.”
The Governor’s House acknowledged receiving the recommendation to dissolve the parliament. Governor Ali informed the media that he had received the recommendation to dissolve the assembly and will make his decision in accordance with the law and the Constitution.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab’s assemblies were to be dissolved, the PTI chairman had said in November of the previous year. However, the plans were delayed because of discussions with allies and responses taken by the central allies who were in power.
PTI resignations
The resignations of 35 members of the lower house of parliament, including Sheikh Rashid, the leader of the Awami Muslim League (AML), and 34 members of the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), were finally accepted by National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf on Tuesday, hours before the KP Assembly was dissolved.
Legislators whose resignations have been accepted include Asad Qaiser, Qasim Suri, Pervez Khattak, Ali Amin Gandapur, Murad Saeed, Shehryar Khan Afridi, and Imran Khattak. Sheikh Rashid, the leader of the Awami Muslim League (AML), submitted his resignation, which the speaker also accepted.
