Tag: president alvi

  • 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.

  • Weird that specific party knows election date, says Bilawal Bhutto

    Weird that specific party knows election date, says Bilawal Bhutto

    The chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, has said on Wednesday that it’s weird that only one party knows the election date.
    Bilawal Bhutto didn’t take the name of any party, but his statement was about the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), as President Arif Alvi proposed November 6 as the date for the country’s general elections in response to the appeal from his party.
    The former foreign minister also said that one party cannot resolve the issues in the country. “All parties will have to sit together to take the country out of this crisis.”

    “The PPP is answerable for its ministries and the PDM [Pakistan Democratic Movement] for its own,” Bilawal added.
    “As far as the PTI is concerned, those who were involved in the May 9 attacks, it is very difficult for us [to hold talks with them],” Bilawal said, adding, “An incompetent and ineligible prime minister was imposed due to which [country] had to face a crisis at the economic and foreign level.”

  • President Alvi has no power to announce the election date, says PM Kakar

    President Alvi has no power to announce the election date, says PM Kakar

    Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has said on Monday that President Arif Alvi has no right to announce a date for general elections as it is the responsibility of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

    Multiple sources have told different media outlets that President Arif Alvi is set to announce the election date.

    Earlier in the day, during their second meeting in ten days, President Alvi had a discussion on the election schedule with the caretaker law minister.

    According to sources in the president’s house, the idea that President Alvi will choose a date for the upcoming general election is “wrong”, confirming that discussions on polls are still going on.

    However, PM Kakar said in an interview that, according to the law, ECP has the power to announce the election date.

    The caretaker PM further said that “We have no intention to prolong the tenure of the caretaker government.”

  • President Alvi shares list of 10 must-read books

    President Alvi shares list of 10 must-read books

    Dr Arif Alvi, the President of Pakistan, has shared a list of his favourite books for readers.
    In a 31-minute-long video, President Alvi listed his top must-read books and encouraged the youth to study them too.

    Check out President Alvi’s recommendations below:

    • The End of History and the Last Man
    • The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order
    • Journey into Europe
    • The Islamic Enlightenment: The modern struggle between faith and reason
    • Humane: How United States Abandoned Peace and Reinvented War
    • Three Presidents and an Aide: Life, Power & Politics
    • Think Again
    • Through Two Doors at Once: The Elegant Experiment That Captures the Enigma of Our Quantum Reality
    • The Illustrated Rumi: A Treasury of Wisdom from the Poet of The Soul
    • Sukhn-e-Iftikhar | سخن افتخار

  • Can ECP change election date set by President Alvi? Supreme Court will resume hearing tomorrow

    The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) on Monday heard a plea by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) against the Election Commission’s decision to delay Punjab elections till October 8 after which the apex court issued notices to the commission and to the governors of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

    The five-member larger bench — headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Akhtar, Justice Aminuddin Khan and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail — heard the case.

    The apex court also sought guarantees from the government and PTI for remaining peaceful for free, fair, and transparent elections. 

    PTI’s lawyer Ali Zafar pointed out that the Ministry of Interior and Defence refused to provide security personnel.

    Zafar said that the Constitution does not allow the postponement of elections on the basis of the administration’s non-cooperation.

    “What guarantee is there that the situation will be better in October?” he questioned.

    The hearing was adjourned till 11:30am tomorrow (Tuesday).

    Earlier, ECP delayed Punjab elections and change the date from April 30 to October 8 after which the commission came under fire from the former ruling party.

    President Arif Alvi set April 30 as the date of the election in Punjab.

    Following the ECP’s announcement, KP Governor Haji Ghulam Ali also urged the electoral body to also hold the general elections on the same date (October 8) as the Punjab polls given the growing security threats from terror groups operating from the Pakistan-Afghanistan border regions.

    No live coverage of rallies in Islamabad

    The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) on Monday restricted live coverage of rallies and public gatherings across the federal capital on March 27, hours before PTI chairman Imran Khan was expected to appear before the Islamabad High Court.

    It observed that satellite television channels run live footages/images of violent mobs, attacking on police and law enforcement agencies.

  • PTI welcomes supreme court’s verdict while govt says it doesn’t require review

    PTI welcomes supreme court’s verdict while govt says it doesn’t require review

    Political parties from across the spectrum are reacting to Supreme Court’s (SC) verdict in the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) elections suo moto case.

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Fawad Chaudhry welcomed the verdict, saying, “It’s a victory for the Constitution”.

    The Supreme Court, the PTI leader added, has bound the federation to provide all sorts of support with security and provision of funds for carrying out polls.

    When asked whether elections will happen on April 9, as earlier suggested by President Arif Alvi, he responded by saying that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) proposed in court that the commission can make the elections possible on April 25.

    He also said that if the government doesn’t agree to the SC’s verdict, the top court will send the government home under Article 187.

    He also added that all five judges endorsed the principle of the election within 90 days. During a media talk, the PTI leader stressed that “Election is the foundation of the state.”

    On the other hand, Awami Muslim League Chief Sheikh Rashid congratulated the nation on the verdict and asked the country to “prepare for the elections”.

    He hoped that PTI is going to form governments in KP and Punjab

    From the government side, Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said that there is no need to review the decision of the Supreme Court’s verdict, nor is it a matter that requires interpretation.

    He said that petitions are still being heard in High Courts, and the interpretation of the decision can also be seen there.

    He also stressed that the verdict is quite clear. However, the law minister took a jibe at President Alvi, saying that he breached the constitution by giving a date for the elections in both provinces.

    Earlier today (Wednesday), the top court directed all relevant authorities to hold elections within 90 days.

    The decision was passed three-two in favour of the verdict by the five-member bench, with Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail giving dissenting notes.

  • President Alvi sets April 9 as election day for Punjab and KP

    President Alvi sets April 9 as election day for Punjab and KP

    President Dr Arif Alvi has announced that elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) will be held on April 9.

    It is pertinent to mention here that Section 57(1) of the Elections Act, 2017 says that the president is entrusted to announce the election date after consulting the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)

    Earlier today, ECP said no to meeting President Alvi when he invited the commission to consult with him, citing that the matter of elections is sub judice.

    ECP says no to meeting with President Alvi

    On Monday, ECP, in a letter addressed to Alvi, has stated that the matter of deciding a date for elections is subjudice, hence, it cannot participate in a meeting on this issue with the president.

    The development comes days after Alvi wrote a letter to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja, inviting him for an “urgent meeting” to discuss and consult on the election date in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). The meeting was set to take place today (Monday, February 20).

    Two federal ministers, Rana Sanaullah and Marriyum Aurangzeb, have defended the ECP.

    In a statement issued on Monday, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said the Presidency has become “Awan-e-Sazish” [centre of conspiracy], adding that the government will not allow it to become “Imran Khan’s Tiger Force”. She also advised Alvi against becoming a puppet of the former Prime Minister.

    Meanwhile, in a tweet, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah lambasted Alvi, stating that, “ECP is not your slave,” and adding that “Imran is now using the head of state [Alvi] for conspiracy”.

    President Alvi asks ECP for urgent meeting to consult on Punjab, KP’s election dates

    Earlier, in a letter to ECP, the president expressed displeasure over the “apathy and inaction” of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on not responding to his earlier letter as yet. The first letter was sent on February 8.

    The president stated that he had waited anxiously that the ECP would realise its constitutional duties to proceed and act accordingly, but was extremely dismayed by the commission’s “approach on this important matter”.

    The meeting will take place on February 20 (Monday).

    The president’s official Twitter account said that the two will discuss Section 57(1) of Elections Act, 2017 which details that the president is entrusted to announce the election date after consulting the ECP.

    Punjab and KP assemblies were dissolved in January to pave way for fresh elections.

    It is pertinent to mention that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has been asking for the elections since the ouster of their chairman Imran Khan as Prime Minister.

  • ‘Together we will bounce back as a nation’: PM Shehbaz remembers flood victims on Jan 1

    ‘Together we will bounce back as a nation’: PM Shehbaz remembers flood victims on Jan 1

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif began the first day of the new year by remembering the victims of 2022’s devastating floods.

    On his twitter account, Shehbaz Sharif said, “In 2022, one-third of Pakistan paid the heavy price due to climate change and for no fault of theirs”. He also hoped that Pakistanis as a nation will bounce back.

    President Alvi, in his message, said that the past year saw the loss of life and money due to floods in 2022 but the nation faced the challenges with steadfastness, unity, and determination.

    However, as the new year has arrived, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan pledged that his party will form a strong government through elections in 2023.

    In a series of tweets, mentioning the best and worst times of 2022, Imran Khan shared, “A government with one of the best econ performances was removed through a conspiracy triggered by supreme self-interest, and Pakistan was handed over to a bunch of criminals.”

  • Farwell visits: General Bajwa meets PM, President one day before retirement

    Farwell visits: General Bajwa meets PM, President one day before retirement

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif met the outgoing Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa in Islamabad on Monday as a part of the army chief’s farewell visits.

    During the meeting between the two, the Premier commended General Bajwa’s services and said that he played an exemplary role in bringing Pakistan out of the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) grey list as well as during the COVID-19 pandemic and floods, reports Radio Pakistan.

    He said the Pakistan Army under the leadership of General Qamar Javed Bajwa played a valiant role in crushing terrorism in the country.

    “You got the honour of leading the world’s best army,” the prime minister told COAS Bajwa.

    In response, General Bajwa thanked PM Shehbaz for his support in handling matters of national importance.

    Before meeting the Premier, the army chief paid a farewell visit to President Dr Arif Alvi at the Aiwan-e-Sadar where the president also commended Gen Bajwa’s services in the field of defence and also appreciated his services to the country and the Pakistan Army.

    The president also expressed best wishes for Gen Bajwa in his future endeavours.

    Pakistan Army’s change of command ceremony will be held tomorrow (November 29).

    Gen Bajwa will hand over the “baton of command” to General Asim Munir, who was selected to become the new army chief by PM Shehbaz on November 24. General Asim will be the 17th army chief to assume the command of the Pakistan Army.

    General Bajwa is set to retire on November 29 after six years in office. He was appointed in 2016 by then-PM Nawaz Sharif and later granted an additional three-year extension in 2019 by former PM Imran Khan.