Pakistan president directs PM to assist ECP to hold general elections on time

Pakistan President Arif Alvi on Friday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif asking to direct concerned authorities to assist the Election Commission of Pakistan to hold general elections in provinces on time. In his letter, the Pakistan president also highlighted human rights abuses by authorities.

In his letter, Alvi emphasised that all concerned executive authorities of Federal and Provincial Governments should be directed to refrain from abuse of Human Rights and also to assist the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold general elections in the provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, within the timeframe, in compliance of Supreme Court’s Order dated 1st March 2023, to avoid further complications including Contempt of Court.

Arif Alvi mentioned that he is writing a letter as events had taken place in the recent past that were highlighted by the print, electronic and social media about glaring violations of Fundamental and Human Rights that needed to be brought to the Prime Minister’s notice to ensure remedial measures and preventive action.

"Elections of Provincial Assemblies, in case of their dissolution under Article 105 or Article 112, were required to be held within 90 days under Article 224 (2) of the Constitution. The Supreme Court of Pakistan vide its Order dated March 1, 2023 had directed the ECP to proposed date (s) to the president for holding the poll within 90 days or on a date that deviates to the barest minimum from aforesaid deadline," Arif Alvi said in his letter. 

He said that the governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was also directed by the Supreme Court to appoint a date for holding the general election for the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as per the above timeframe. Subsequently, ECP had proposed holding of general elections between April 30 – May 7, 2023 and general elections for the Provincial Assembly of Punjab were announced to be held on April 30, 2023 and the same was notified by the ECP.

Arif Alvi said that it appeared that Federal and Care-taker Governments in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa advised the heads of concerned departments to indicate their inability to provide the necessary support for holding general elections. He referred to Article 220 of the Constitution which states that “it shall be the duty of all executive authorities in the Federation and in the Provinces to assist the Commissioner and the Election Commission in the discharge of his or their functions”.

'Flagrant violation of the Constitution had been committed by the executive authorities and government departments': Arif Alvi

The president underlined that in his opinion, flagrant violation of the Constitution had been committed by the executive authorities and government departments, adding that ECP had not implemented his announcement of holding general elections in Punjab on April 30, 2023 and also blatantly violated the Supreme Court’s Order dated 1st March, 2023. "The ECP has announced the date of 8th October, 2023 for holding general elections of provincial assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa," he said.

The president wrote: "It was a matter of concern that no meaningful consultation with the president on policy issues had been undertaken by the Prime Minister in line Article 46 of the Constitution, which provided that the PM shall keep the President informed on all matters of internal and foreign policy and on all legislative proposals the Federal Government intends to bring before the Parliament."

Drawing attention towards the seriousness of incidents of Human Rights violation, Arif Alvi said: "Multiple fake and frivolous cases had been registered against politicians, workers, journalists and media persons; houses of political workers had been raided, and citizens had been abducted without warrants and lawful justification."

He further termed the incidents of Human Rights violations and oppression by state machinery against innocent citizens as “clear breach and violations of Fundamental Rights guaranteed by Article 4 of the Constitution, which provides for, and guarantees citizens to enjoy the protection of the law and to be treated in accordance with the law".