ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: President Dr. Arif Alvi has announced elections for the Provincial Assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on April 9, 2023 under Section 57 (1) of the Election Act, 2017.
صدر مملکت ڈاکٹر عارف علوی نے پنجاب اور خیبر پختونخواہ میں انتخابات کی تاریخ دے دی
صدر مملکت نے الیکشن ایکٹ 2017 ء کے سیکشن 57 ایک کے تحت 9 اپریل بروز اتوار پنجاب اور خیبر پختونخواہ کی صوبائی اسمبلیوں کیلئے انتخابات کا اعلان کردیاhttps://t.co/Gr3iBpm8L2
— The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) February 20, 2023
The president said that the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) was invited for a meeting on February 20 for consultation in terms of Section (1) of Elections Act, 2017 to announce the date for the general elections of the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assemblies.
However, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) replied that the Commission cannot participate in the meeting on the subject matter with the Office of the President.
President Arif Alvi maintained that the Governors of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are not performing their Constitutional duties for appointing a date, not later than 90 days from the date of dissolution of Provincial Assemblies as per the Constitution of Pakistan.
The president said that the ECP is also not fulfilling its Constitutional obligation for holding polls for the Assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Both the Constitutional Offices are placing the ball in each other’s court, resulting in delay and creating a serious danger that Constitutional provisions may be violated, he said.
The president said that he is under the Oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and the Section (1) of the Elections Act, 2017 empowers him to “announce the date or dates of the general elections after consultation with the Commission”.
Therefore, he added, he has felt it necessary to perform his Constitutional and statutory duty to announce the date of elections to avoid the infringement and breach of the Constitutional and law i.e. holding of elections not later than 90 days.
In addition, the president said that the ECP has already indicated the possible dates of elections in its various communications to the Constitutional functionaries showing its own responsibilities of holding the election within 90 days.
The president also said that serious attempts for consultation with the Election Commission were made including extending an invitation of the CEC for a meeting; however, they didn’t bear fruit.
