Javed Latif compares President Arif Alvi with General Yahya

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister Javed Latif on Monday compared President Dr Arif Alvi with former president General Yahya Khan after the former announced date for holding elections for Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), ARY News reported.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the federal minister castigated President Dr Arif Alvi for announcing election date, saying that it was the prerogative of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to take such decisions.

He also called for forming a joint investigation team (JIT), headed by a judge of superior courts, to probe the reasons for plunging a thriving Pakistan of 2017 into an economic quagmire.

“Pakistan was progressing fast in 2017 when under a conspiracy, Imran Khan was imposed on the country, whose self-centered policies not only destroyed the economy but also triggered an unprecedented price hike,” he claimed.

The JIT, he said, should particularly investigate the reasons behind the steep increase in prices of items of daily use, including flour, sugar, edible oil, petroleum products, etc., since 2017.

The facts about the removal of then prime minister Nawaz Shairf from power should also be unearthed, Javed Latif added.

The minister said the JIT should also investigate how the $25 billion loans taken by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government were utilized during its four-year rule. He urged the stakeholders to join hands for driving the country out of the crisis.

The development came after President Dr Arif Alvi announced April 9 as the date for holding general elections for Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) assemblies. The announced the date under section 57(2) of the constitution.

In a letter written to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sultan Sikandar Raja president Arif Alvi said the constitution does not allow to exceed 90 days for holding elections after the dissolution of assemblies and he has taken the oath to defend and protect the constitution.

The letter stated that ECP and governor KP and Punjab are not fulfilling their duties to hold elections within 90 days and the president has announced an election date to avoid violation of the constitution.

He said that both the constitutional offices are placing the ball in each other’s court, which is resulting in delay and creating a serious danger to the constitution. President Arif Alvi said that it is ECP’s responsibility to hold the election in 90 days and he started the process of serious consultation on the election date.