President Arif Alvi asks ECP to announce KP, Punjab election dates

ISLAMABAD: President Arif Alvi on Wednesday asked the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to immediately issue the election schedule for Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial assemblies.

In a letter addressed to Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja today, a copy of which is available with ARY News, President ArifAlvi said that the election of an assembly is to be held within 90 days of the dissolution as provided by Article 224(2) of the Constitution.

He highlighted that the conduct and holding of elections was the primary and essential duty of the ECP as per PART VIII of the Constitution, particularly Article 218 (3) which assigned the duty to the ECP to ensure the holding of fair and free elections.

He conveyed that it was ultimately the Commission, which if it failed to discharge its functions and duties, was to be held responsible and answerable for the violation of the Constitution of the country.

He reminded the CEC and other ECP members about their fundamental duty as per their oath under Article 214 and Third Schedule of the Constitution, which says “I will discharge my duties……faithfully in accordance with the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan”, and the Elections Act, 2017 to avoid serious consequences of breach/violation of the Constitution/law and announce election schedule of the two dissolved assemblies forthwith.

The president also highlighted that the “oldest democracies had never delayed elections even during wars”.

“I am of the firm view that there are no such circumstances as may furnish any justification for delaying or postponing of elections, in fact if such postponements of constitutionally mandated elections are evaluated throughout the world in recent history, they have morphed into serious long term set-backs to democracy,” said Dr Alvi.

The president lauded ECP for taking an appropriate constitutional step by announcing the holding of by-elections on the vacated National Assembly seats.

The Punjab and KP assemblies were dissolved on Jan 18 and Jan 14, respectively, after former prime minister Imran Khan had announced to dissolve assemblies in an attempt to force the government to hold snap polls.

As per the Constitution of Pakistan, polls need to be held for the dissolved assemblies in 90 days.