Ahmed Mukhtar Naqshbandi
Commenting on President Alvi’s decision, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif — during his speech on the floor of the National Assembly later today — said the president is “exceeding his limits”, adding that Alvi is doing so on the behest of his leader Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan.
“The president is working as a worker of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. He does not have the authority to issue the election date. His action is tantamount to violating the Constitution,” the minister said while addressing the NA session chaired by Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf.
He also questioned the president’s role in issuing a date for the provincial assemblies. “The president does not respect his position. The responsibilities of all officials are clear in the Constitution. What role does the president have in provincial polls?”
Asif, who is also a senior leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), added that Dr Alvi is violating the Constitution by issuing a date for polls.
“The president should abide by the Constitution. Today, it is being violated,” he said reiterating his stance on the decision taken by the head of state.
Speaking about the president not adhering to his position’s sanctity, the defence minister spoke about Dr Alvi insulting the President’s Office. “The Constitution prescribes punishment for such acts.”
Talal Chaudhary
Moreover, PML-N senior leader Talal Chaudhary, while speaking to media said: “Election cannot — and will not — be held on the President’s directives.”
Slamming the PTI chief for trying to “become the president of the country”, he stated that the real president should be very mindful of his actual role.
Chaudhary further stated that as per the constitution, the president is not empowered to fix any date of the election.
“He (President) should refrain from making a joke of the office of the president, and the state.” He said.
The former minister of state for interior also stated that Pakistan needed elections that will fulfil the needs of the country and not those that would appease Imran Khan.
“There is a proper procedure for conducting elections in the Constitution,” he said, adding that President Alvi was using his prestigious post “to make the elections controversial”.
In reply to a question whether the PML-N intended to take the matter to court or not, the PML-N leader said that it was pointless to do so given that the decision carries no worth to begin with.
He further stated that the issue was not that the PML-N was scared of elections, saying “we were never even scared of the martial laws,” but that the elections could not be conducted according to Khan’s aspirations.
“For any situation, we had already started preparing for any elections,” he said, “Our leader Maryam Nawaz is already going to every district, holding public meetings and conventions. Our preparations are already underway.”
Announcing Election Date is ECP’s Prerogative: Ahsan Iqbal
Responding to the situation, Federal Minister for Planning and Development and senior PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal said that “simply, it is the prerogative of the Election Commission” to announce a date for the elections. His point of view was that the president should avoid announcing any date.
Referring to the economic problems being faced by the state, the minister said that one to two years are needed to steer country out of the difficulties.
He went on to say that the coalition government was working out measures and all-out steps to put the state back on the right track. He said that special measures are being taken to improve the economy and exports.
Raza Rabbani’s Views
Pakistan Peoples Party’s former Senate chairman Raza Rabbani said that the president was not empowered to take any such decision.
