Tag: Law Ministers

  • Murtaza Solangi says President Alvi undermining his credibility by speaking for one political party

    Murtaza Solangi says President Alvi undermining his credibility by speaking for one political party

    Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, Murtaza Solangi, has said that President Dr. Arif Alvi should represent all political parties in accordance with the law and the constitution, to foster unity in the country.

    Talking to the media on Sunday, Solangi said that the President’s role was not limited to one party, urging him to speak on behalf of all political parties.

    “If the president continues to speak for one political party, it would undermine his own credibility,” he said.

    Highlighting the essence of democracy as a platform for dialogue, Solangi dismissed concerns over complaints and grievances, stating that every party and individual had the right to voice their concerns at appropriate forums including courts and the election commission.

    As regards the upcoming elections, Solangi pledged the caretaker government’s full cooperation and assistance to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), in accordance with the law and the constitution.

    He commended the competence and the sense of responsibility shown by the current ECP management, noting that they adhered to the action plan outlined for the elections.

    The people of Pakistan will determine the country’s future course on February 8, 2024, a date slated for the elections, he added.

  • President Alvi writes letter conveying PTI concerns to PM Kakar

    President Alvi writes letter conveying PTI concerns to PM Kakar

    President Arif Alvi has penned a letter to Interim Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar, expressing the concerns of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) regarding the “erosion of fundamental rights and a level playing field for all political parties” in the upcoming general elections.

    This communication follows the announcement of elections being held on February 8, 2024, stirring political activity across major party lines.

    The details mentioned on X (formerly Twitter) account state, “President Dr. Arif Alvi has conveyed to the Care-taker Prime Minister, Mr. Anwar ul Haq Kakar, the concerns of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on the erosion of fundamental rights and level playing field for all political parties.”

    He also forwarded a letter addressed to him by the General Secretary of PTI, Mr. Omar Ayub Khan, to the Prime Minister containing the concerns of the party.

    In his letter, the President stated that it was of utmost importance that the caretaker government under the Prime Minister’s leadership made efforts as a neutral entity to provide a level playing field for all political parties.

    “In this context, it was reassuring to hear your recent statements whereby you stated that it was the caretaker government’s policy that all registered political parties should have equal rights and opportunities to contest the forthcoming elections”, he wrote.

    He said that “there was a resonance in Pakistan that for free, fair and credible elections, all political parties and leaders had right to contest and it was up to people to decide.”

    In his letter, President Alvi said that he was constitutionally “duty-bound, along with the prime minister and all institutions, to protect the rights of the citizens”.

    He said that in his missive, the PTI secretary general had conveyed the party’s concerns and allegations regarding the “erosion of fundamental rights, with particular reference to enforced disappearances, forced conversions of political loyalties, absence of level playing field for major political parties, crackdown on media and mistreatment of female political activists through prolonged illegal detentions”.

    In response to the concerns, PM Kakar has offered assurances that individuals affiliated with PTI Chairman Imran Khan, currently incarcerated in connection with the cipher case and convicted in the Toshakhana case, will be permitted to participate in the upcoming polls.

  • State institutions should respect ECP on delimitation process and election schedule: Law Ministers

    State institutions should respect ECP on delimitation process and election schedule: Law Ministers

    The interim federal and provincial law ministers have urged all state institutions to respect the authority of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in matters related to the delimitation process and election schedule.

    The statement was issued by the law ministers after a meeting chaired by caretaker Law and Justice Minister Ahmad Irfan in Islamabad was conveyed in the form of a press release today.

    The meeting was held to discuss a matter related to the upcoming general elections in the country. The provincial law ministers, Kanwar Dilshad (Punjab), Muhammad Omer Soomro (Sindh), Arshad Hussain Shah (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), and Amanullah Kanrani (Balochistan), attended the huddle.

    The conclusion of the important meeting was that the country’s electoral authority alone can announce the election date as per the constitution.

    “The Election Commission of Pakistan is an independent constitutional body,” the statement issued by the ministry read.

    The law ministry issued the statement a day after caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar said that President Arif Alvi has no power to announce the election date.