President Dr Arif Alvi on Monday announced April 9 as the date for holding general elections for the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies, according to a press release issued by the President’s secretariat.
Following the dissolution of previous PTI governments’ legislatures before the end of their stipulated five-year terms at the direction of the party’s chairman Imran Khan, elections are now scheduled to take place in both provinces.
The declaration of the election date was made in accordance with Section 57 (1) of the Elections Act of 2017, according to a press release from the President’s Secretariat’s Press Wing.
Furthermore, President Alvi asked the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to “issue election program in accordance with Section 57 (2) of the Act”.
In a letter, Alvi stated that he called a meeting with ECP on February 20 to announce the date for the general elections of the KP and Punjab assemblies.
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
“However, ECP replied that the commission cannot participate in a meeting on the subject matter with the Office of the President. The governors of Punjab and KP are not performing their constitutional duties for appointing a date, not later than ninety days from the date of dissolution of Provincial Assemblies as per the Constitution of Pakistan.”
The ECP is also not fulfilling its constitutional obligation for holding polls for the Assemblies of Punjab and KP, he wrote.
“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,” the letter said.
He stressed that he was under oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
“I have felt it necessary to perform my constitutional and statutory duty to announce the date of elections to avoid the infringement and breach of the Constitution and law i.e. holding of elections not later than ninety days.”
