Islamabad - Pakistan's Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, has revealed his intention to dissolve the National Assembly before its scheduled completion, in anticipation of the upcoming general elections later this year. Despite the official end date of the Assembly's five-year term being August 12, Sharif plans to initiate its dissolution on August 9.

During an address in Islamabad on Tuesday, Prime Minister Sharif announced, "After completing our term tomorrow, I will write and send to the president to dissolve the assembly, and then an interim government will take over," as reported by Dawn.

In a symbolic gesture marking the conclusion of his governmental leadership, Sharif recently conducted a farewell visit to the General Headquarters of the Pakistan Army in Rawalpindi, as per The Express Tribune.

Although the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)-led coalition government had aimed to retain power until August 11, there are indications that President Alvi might postpone the dissolution process, according to a PTI report.

To preempt any potential delays, the prime minister's proposal for early dissolution ensures that the National Assembly concludes its proceedings before the official expiration date. This move grants the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) a full 90-day window to organize the elections.

This strategic maneuver holds immense significance due to the complexities of the election process. Should the assembly complete its constitutionally mandated term, the ECP would be left with just 60 days to oversee the election. Moreover, the recent approval of a new census by the Council of Common Interests has added further intricacies. Aligning elections with this new census data entails a delimitation process, entitling the ECP to 120 days under existing laws. Once this process is finalized, the election proceedings can commence, implying a probable postponement of the polls by several months.