Pakistan: President Alvi summons poll panel chief to fix date for general election

Foregoing in view, the chief election commissioner is invited for a meeting with the president today or tomorrow to fix an appropriate date

Islamabad: Amid the political crisis in Pakistan, President Arif Alvi on Wednesday invited Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja to hold a meeting with him to fix an appropriate date for the general elections, Geo News reported.

In a letter to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) head, President Alvi informed CEC Raja that the body is reliable to him to appoint a date for the elections under Article 48 (5) of the Constitution no later than 90 days from the date of dissolution of the assembly.

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Foregoing in view, the chief election commissioner is invited for a meeting with the president today or tomorrow to fix an appropriate date, stated the letter.

This comes after President Alvi and the Pakistan administration entered a war of words by making contrary claims regarding the passing of the Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill and the Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill, 2023.

The Shehbaz Sharif-led government dissolved the National Assembly on August 9, while Sindh and Balochistan assemblies were also prematurely dissolved to allow the electoral authority to hold elections in the country within 90 days instead of 60 days if the legislature completed its constitutional tenure, Geo News reported.

However, the ECP may not be able to hold the polls within the stipulated time as the Council of Common Interest (CCI), days before the dissolution of the assemblies, approved the 7th Population and Housing Census 2023.

The CCI meeting chaired by then-prime minister Shehbaz Sharif approved the final results of the census reporting the country’s population at 241.49 million with a growth rate of 2.55 per cent.

The CCI approval made it constitutionally mandatory for the poll watchdog to hold elections following fresh delimitations in the light of the results of the 7th census.

According to Article 51 (5) of the Constitution, the seats of the National Assembly to each province and the federal capital shall be allocated on the basis of population in accordance with the last preceding census officially published, as per Geo News.

Subsequently, on August 17, the ECP announced the schedule of new delimitations to be carried out as per the new census approved by the CCI.

As per the schedule, the new delimitation of constituencies nationwide will be notified in December this year.

The ECP schedule showed that fresh delimitation will take nearly four months, meaning the general elections in the country cannot be held within 90 days of the dissolution of the provincial and national assemblies, Geo News reported.

Earlier on August 20, refuting the media reports that the two bills” Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill and the Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill, 2023 — were passed, President Arif Alvi said that he did not sign the bills as he disagreed with the laws.
He further said that he asked his staff to return the bills unsigned within stipulated time to make them ineffective.

“As God is my witness, I did not sign Official Secrets Amendment Bill 2023 & Pakistan Army Amendment Bill 2023 as I disagreed with these laws. I asked my staff to return the bills unsigned within stipulated time to make them ineffective. I confirmed from them many times that whether they have been returned & was assured that they were. Howevern I have found out today that my staff undermined my will and command. As Allah knows all, He will forgive IA. But I ask forgiveness from those who will be affected,” Pakistan President Arif Alvi wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

According to the Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill, a person will be guilty of an offence if he intentionally creates a problem of public order or acts against the state, the Express Tribune reported.

The Army Act has provisions relating to the retirement of military personnel, the Express Tribune reported. According to this law, no military personnel will be able to participate in any political activity for two years after retirement, resignation or dismissal, while military personnel or officers performing duties related to the sensitive nature of duty shall not participate in political activities for five years after termination of service.