Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah criticized President Dr. Arif Alvi for his remarks on the election date and reminded him of his constitutional position. Sanaullah emphasized that the president should act as the head of state and not as the spokesperson for Imran Khan, the chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader further alleged that the former Prime Minister had previously compelled the president, speaker, deputy speaker, and governors to act in ways that were unconstitutional.
The interior minister, Rana Sanaullah, criticized President Arif Alvi for interfering in the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) domain and accused him of supporting the ruling party’s alleged foreign funding case. Sanaullah also expressed disappointment in Imran Khan for pressuring the ECP while using the office of the president.
Meanwhile, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif urged the president to stay within his constitutional limits and not engage in political activities. Asif stated on Twitter that the president should remember that he was selected to his current post as a result of an occurrence in 2018.
In his tweet, he included an excerpt of a Supreme Court verdict as a “reference and warning.” The president emphasized the importance of implementing the Constitution to strengthen democracy, and stated that elections must adhere to constitutional requirements.
Specifically, with regard to the current situation in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Alvi wrote to the chief election commissioner to arrange a meeting and announce election dates in both provinces, as required by the Constitution. Dr. Alvi explained that holding elections within 90 days of the dissolution of any assembly is a constitutional requirement that should be observed. On February 8, President Alvi had already written to the ECP, urging them to ensure that both national and provincial general elections are held within the constitutionally mandated timeframe.
