ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly will complete its five-year term at 11:59:59pm on March 16.

Talking to Dawn, a senior official said that the first session of the National Assembly was held on March 17, 2008 and, accordingly, the house would complete its term between the night of March 16 and 17.

The Article 52 of the constitution reads: “The National Assembly shall, unless sooner dissolved, continue for a term of five years from the day of its first meeting and shall stand dissolved at the expiration of its term.”

With the dissolution of the assembly, members of the federal cabinet, except Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, will cease to function as minister. The prime minister, the official said, would continue to be the chief executive until the selection of a caretaker prime minister as mentioned in Article 224 and 224-A of the constitution.

The federal government has cancelled weekly off on Saturday apparently to enable ministers to bid farewell to the staff of their ministries.

Meanwhile, the media cell of the PM’s secretariat announced on Friday that the prime minister would address the nation on Saturday evening.—Staff Reporter