ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Monday warned President Arif Alvi that he should abide by constitutional restrictions as he is not mandated to give an election date.
President Alvi wrote to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) inviting it to attend any emergency meetings to discuss matters related to the elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, as parliament has not yet Declare the election date year.
However, the electoral body declined to attend the meeting as the matter was being heard by a different court.
Home Affairs Minister Rana Sanaullah fired fresh fire at the president, saying Mr Alvi should stay away from the current political situation. He said the president should not turn his office into a “blackmail point.” He said Mr Alvi could not force the ECP to give an election date because it is a constitutional body.
He said PTI chairman Imran Khan had damaged national interests and diplomatic relations, but the president was using his office to plot.
Meanwhile, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said the ECP must not be seen by anyone as Imran Khan’s “tiger army”. She said the president had unconstitutionally pressured electoral agencies to set a date for the election.
She warned Mr Alvi would face Article 6 for violating the constitution and said the president should not be a puppet in Mr Khan’s hands.
