PTI leader Babar Awan has said that the power to summon a session of the National Assembly only lies with President Arif Alvi and not with speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf.

During an informal conversation with reporters in Islamabad, Awan said, “According to the Constitution, the president can summon the National Assembly’s session. The speaker has no authority to summon the session.”

He further asserted that summoning the session would be equivalent to going against the Constitution.

“If any government will be formed [in this manner], it would be against the Constitution. The verdict of the case about Qasim Suri’s ruling is present; a speaker can only adjourn a session,” Awan added.