According to a press release from the President's Secretariat's Press Wing, on Monday, President Dr. Arif Alvi announced April 9 as the date for general elections to be held for the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies. The assemblies were dissolved earlier by previous PTI governments, on the orders of party chairman Imran Khan, before the expiration of their mandated five-year terms.
After the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) rejected his invitation for consultations on election dates, the president unilaterally announced the election date. Quoting a letter sent to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja, the statement mentioned that the president had made the decision under Section 57(1) of the Elections Act, 2017 and was asking the CEC to issue the election program under Section 57(2) of the same Act.
The president, under the oath of preserving, protecting, and defending the Constitution, stated that his announcement was necessary to avoid the infringement and breach of the Constitution and law, that is, holding of elections not later than ninety days. He added that there was no impediment in invoking the power and authority vested in him, as there was no restraining order from any judicial fora.
Author: Alisha Hussain
Publisher: Hamza Rajput
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