Pakistan's major ruling coalition partners have agreed to dissolve the National Assembly on 8th  August a few days before the completion of its five-year term.

The aim of the early dissolve to get extra time for general elections. The five-year constitutional term of the incumbent National Assembly expires on 12th August at midnight – four days after the date on which both parties have reportedly agreed to dissolve the legislature.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) – the two major stakeholders in the federal government – have agreed to dissolve the National Assembly.

According to the law, if the president doesn't approve the recommendation, the National Assembly stands dissolved after 48 hours – giving the government enough time to achieve its target of premature dissolution.

However, the Election Commission of Pakistan is bound to hold the general polls within 90 days if the Assembly is dissolved before its constitutional term. Once the National Assembly is dissolved, the federal government will require a caretaker setup. Until the formation of a caretaker government, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will continue his duties as the prime minister, albeit for a few days.