Pak President Alvi dissolves National Assembly at PM Sharif's advice

Pakistan President Arif Alvi dissolved the National Assembly on Wednesday at outgoing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's advice, marking an end to the current government's tenure and paving the way for next general elections.

The notification for the dissolution of the assembly was issued by the Aiwan-i-Sadr, which said the National Assembly was dissolved under Article 58 of the Constitution.

Pakistan Prime Minister Sharif on Wednesday wrote to President Alvi and sought dissolution of the National Assembly three days before the end of its five-year constitutional term.

President Arif Alvi dissolved the National Assembly at midnight on Wednesday at outgoing Prime Minister Sharif's advice, the Dawn newspaper reported.

With the dissolution of the lower house, the current government's tenure will also end prematurely.

Later, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Murtaza Javed Abbasi said in a statement that the elected government has completed its five-year term, and his ministry had forwarded the summary for the dissolution of the assembly to the prime minister under Article 58 of the Constitution.

Earlier on Thursday, the prime minister also chaired the final meeting of the federal cabinet in Islamabad.

In his farewell address at the National Assembly on Wednesday, Sharif said: Tonight, with the permission of the House, I will send the advice for the dissolution of the National Assembly to the president.