Pakistan government to retire early to move elections ahead

Pakistan's ruling coalition will dissolve parliament and hand over the reins to a caretaker government next month four days before it is constitutionally required to do so, in preparation for a general election by November, local media reported on Tuesday.

Several TV news channels reported that the two main parties - the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan's Peoples Party (PPP) - agreed to dissolve parliament on August 8.

Parliament's tenure constitutionally expires on August 12.

Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, however, said no date had been set for the general election.

"No decision has so far been taken on the dissolution of the parliament," she said in a tweet, adding a formal announcement would be made about the election date after consultation among all coalition partners.

The elections are approaching after months of political and economic turmoil, with uncertainty even to the extent that the vote might be delayed for at least one year.

A caretaker government has 90 days in which to hold a general election when a government hands over power early, but it would have had 60 days if the government had handed over power at the designated time.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's coalition took over after his predecessor, Imran Khan, was ousted in a vote of no confidence in parliament in April 2022.

Ever since then, Khan has been campaigning for a snap election, organising protests across the country and raising tensions with the powerful military, which Khan accuses of plotting against him.

The military, which has ruled Pakistan for about half its history, has denied involvement in civilian politics.