On Wednesday, President Arif Alvi called on the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to announce the dates for elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab as soon as possible, in order to put an end to “dangerous speculative propaganda” surrounding the elections. The assemblies of both provinces were dissolved earlier this month, leading to a 90-day timeline for elections to be held.
In a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, President Alvi emphasized the primary and essential duty of the ECP to conduct fair and free elections, and warned of consequences for the commission if it failed to fulfill its responsibilities. He also reminded the CEC of their oath to discharge their duties in accordance with the Constitution and the Elections Act of 2017.
President Alvi stated that delaying elections is not justified and could have serious consequences for democracy. He cited the example of the United States, which he said was a strong democracy because it never delayed its elections. He concluded by calling on the ECP to immediately announce the election schedule and put an end to speculative propaganda.
