Ata Tarar says crisis to emerge if President Alvi announces election date

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Deputy Secretary General Attaullah Tarar Monday said crisis will emerge if President Arif Alvi announces the election date.

He said that following the expiry of the constitutional term of President Arif Alvi, the powers to fix the date for general elections now rested with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

The President’s five-year term ended September 8, which meant that now the ECP was fully empowered to announce the election date, he told a press conference.

Tarar said as the notification for a new president had not been issued under Article 44 of the Constitution, Dr Alvi could now only carry out day-to-day duties of his office till the election of the new incumbent.

As per the Constitution, it was mandatory for the President to follow the advice of the Prime Minister and the government, while the Election Commission had no more obligation to follow the President’s directives concerning the elections, he added.

The PML-N leader mentioned that the value of the dollar was on a downward trend, while positive reports regarding foreign investment were pouring in. However, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf resorted to negative actions whenever the economy showed signs of improvement, he added.

He said the PTI was bent upon ruining the economy through propagating a fake narrative for its political advantage. Misconceptions about the agreement with the International Monetary Fund were willfully dished out to mislead the masses.

To a query, he said President Alvi would remain in office (till the election of new incumbent) for smooth functioning of day-to-day state affairs.