President Arif Alvi says ‘no response from provinces for elections yet’

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi said Wednesday that he has not received any response from the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) provinces yet after sending letters to their governments.

While talking to a private news channel, President Dr Arif Alvi said that he summoned Punjab and KP election commissioners but they did not come to meet him. He added that he had also written a letter to the law minister regarding elections but he replied that the president was unauthorised to question the election date.

He detailed that complaints were raised on the digital census. Alvi said that he suggested holding general elections on November 6 or before but the law ministry issued a statement that the president has no jurisdiction to fix the election date.

Related: PTI chairman upset with President Arif Alvi over election date, reveals Aleema

Regarding the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman, President Alvi said that he has found the PTI chief honest in financial matters and patriot and he also considers him his leader.

During his interview, the president also expressed his thoughts about the Election Act 2017, reference against now Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, presidency and other matters.

He said that he would remain the president until a new appointment is made in accordance with the Constitution.

Regarding Election Act amendments, Arif Alvi said that the amendments were issued when he went to perform Hajj. He added that the acting president Sadiq Sanjrani signed the Election Act amendment bill. He was of the view that the amendment in Clause 57(1) of the Election Act 2017 was unconstitutional.

Related: President Arif Alvi suggests election date in letter to CEC

To a question, President Alvi clarified that he did not send a reference against the new CJP Justice Qazi Faez Isa during the PTI government but it was sent by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). He added that the former prime minister had given a statement that he was unwilling to file a reference against Justice Isa.

He said that Qazi Faez Isa are constituting benches in a transparent way and is a respectable personality.

Commenting on the political situation, the president that he has always opposed any decisions which led to violence and agitation. He, however, said that the stakeholders should find a way to move forward from the condemnation of the May 9 incidents.