ISLAMABAD: In an apparent move to counter the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) ongoing long march, the government has convened a session of the National Assembly on Nov 3, a day before the marchers are scheduled to enter the federal capital.

President Dr Arif Alvi has summoned the National Assembly to meet at the Parliament House at 4pm on Nov 3 under Article 54(1) of the Constitution, says an official announcement on Monday.

The session will be held only a day before the coalition government led by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz is poised to face a potentially major street challenge from PTI, as its march that began from Lahore on Oct 28 is on its way to Islamabad via GT Road.

The party, led by Imran Khan, is demanding immediate general elections in the country. The government, on the other hand, has been firm in its rejection of the PTI’s demand and repeatedly stated that the present assembly would complete its constitutional term.

Imran Khan has announced that the marchers would reach Islamabad on Nov 4, but has not disclosed his future plan and the duration of a possible sit-in by his party.

It was only a week ago that the government prorogued the assembly’s autumn session, which was marred due to lack of interest by the members as both the speaker and the deputy speaker continued proceedings almost every day without a quorum for which the presence of at least 86 members — one-fourth of the total 342-member house — is required.

Throughout the session, the members, including some of those sitting on the treasury benches and even some ministers, complained about the lack of interest by the members and protested over the absence of cabinet members during the general debate on the devastating floods in the country.

A source in the government told Dawn that the main purpose of summoning the NA session was to give a befitting response to the PTI leaders from the platform of parliament when they would be staging a sit-in.

He said the decision had been made keeping in view the successful experience when in 2014 the government had convened a joint sitting of parliament while Imran Khan and Pakistan Awami Tehreek chief Dr Tahirul Qadri had staged the famous 126-day sit-in.

Published in Dawn, November 1st, 2022