Rana Sanaullah: President has nothing to do with poll dates

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has assailed President Dr Arif Alvi, saying the President should stay within the limits of the constitution, advising him to refrain from using the office as a base for blackmail.

In a tweet uploaded on Monday, the PML-N stalwart said that President has nothing to do with the election dates.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is not your slave to obey what you say, he said adding President cannot force the ECP to comply with illegal and unconstitutional orders.

According to the interior minister, Imran Khan has harmed the economy, international relations and national interests, and now he is using the position of the head of state for conspiracy.

Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said the ECP was being pressurized unconstitutionally to get a date of the elections.

In a statement on Monday, the minister said the Election Commission of Pakistan was a constitutional institution and no one would be allowed to transform it into Imran Khan’s Tiger Force.

She urged that the office of the President should be loyal to the Constitution and any violation could invoke Article 6.

The minister said the office of the President did not allow favouring of any particular political party.

The minister alleged that President Arif Alvi had already violated the constitution by dissolving the National Assembly illegally last year.

According to the interpretation of the Supreme Court, the office of the President was symbolic, Marriyum Aurangzeb said and pointed that as per Supreme Court verdicts, any collusion with a political party was a violation of the office and oath of the President.