LAHORE: President Dr. Arif Alvi met Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and discussed the overall political situation in the country along with the elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
President Alvi met the PTI chief at his residence in Zaman Park Lahore on Thursday.
Both the leaders also expressed reservations over the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) not announcing the dates of the KP and Punjab elections. The two leaders also discussed the letter sent by the President to the ECP, asking the commission to announce the date of the elections.
Speaking to President Arif Alvi, Imran Khan said that ‘ECP has failed to fulfill its basic duty.
On Wednesday, President Arif Alvi asked the ECP to immediately release the election schedule for the assemblies of the two provinces.
President Arif Alvi, in a letter written to Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja, said that under Article 224(2) of the Constitution, elections were to be held within 90 days of the dissolution of the assembly.
He highlighted that the conduct and conduct of elections is the fundamental and essential duty of the ECP under Part VIII of the Constitution, particularly Article 218(3) which mandates the ECP to be transparent. And ensure the conduct of free elections.
He reminded the CEC and other ECP members of their primary responsibility as per their oath under Article 214 and the Third Schedule of the Constitution, which states: I will pay honestly according to the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. and the Elections Act, 2017.
He said that the ECP should immediately announce the election schedule of the two dissolved assemblies to avoid serious consequences of violation of the constitution/law.
