By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: President Arif Alvi on Friday emphasised the need to assist the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in holding general elections in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa within the required timeframe.
The president in a letter written to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also noted that recent events in the country highlighted by print, electronic, and social media had exposed glaring violations of fundamental and human rights that required remedial and preventive action.
The president highlighted that under Article 224 (2) of the Constitution, elections of provincial assemblies, in case of their dissolution under Article 105 or Article 112, should be held within 90 days.
He added that the Supreme Court of Pakistan had directed the ECP to propose dates for holding polls within 90 days or on a date that deviates minimally from the deadline.
It appeared that federal and caretaker governments in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa are advising the heads of concerned departments to indicate their inability to provide the necessary support for holding general elections, in violation of Article 220 of the Constitution.”
The president underlined that in his opinion, flagrant violation of the Constitution had been committed by the executive authorities and government departments, and the ECP had not implemented his announcement of holding general elections in Punjab on April 30, 2023.
The president wrote that it was a matter of concern that no meaningful consultation with the president on policy issues had been undertaken by the prime minister in line Article 46 of the Constitution, which provided that the prime minister shall keep the president informed on all matters of internal and foreign policy and on all legislative proposals the federal government intends to bring before the Parliament.
He added that Rule 15(5) of Rules of Business, 1973 also highlighted the responsibility of the Prime Minister, inter-alia, to furnish such information relating to the administration of affairs of the Federation and proposals for legislation as the president may call for.
The president also drew the attention of the prime minister towards incidents of human rights violations, atrocities by police/law enforcement agencies, and the grossly disproportionate use of force against citizens of Pakistan.
He noted that multiple fake and frivolous cases had been registered against politicians, workers, journalists, and media persons, houses of political workers had been raided, and citizens had been abducted without warrants and lawful justification.
The president stated that these incidents of human rights violations and oppression by state machinery against innocent citizens were in clear breach and violation of Fundamental Rights guaranteed by Article 4 of the Constitution.
He also referred to several other articles that guarantee citizens the right to security of person, safeguards as to arrest and detention, fair trial, inviolability of dignity, freedom of movement, assembly, association, and speech, and said that the spirit and mandate of these articles were being clearly transgressed.
The president concluded that these violations had tarnished the image of Pakistan in the international community and were casting negative repercussions on the future of democracy and state of human rights in Pakistan.
He emphasized the need for the prime minister to take remedial measures and preventive action to ensure that the Constitution and Fundamental Rights were upheld, and human rights violations were prevented.
He also referred to Article 9 on ‘security of person’, Article 10 on ‘safeguards as to arrest and detention’, Article 10-A on ‘right to fair trial’, Article 14 on ‘inviolability of dignity of man etc.’, Article 15 on ‘freedom of movement etc.’, Article 16 on ‘freedom of assembly’, Article 17 on ‘freedom of association’ and Article 19 on ‘freedom of speech’, and said that the spirit and mandate of these articles were being clearly transgressed? This has tarnished the image of Pakistan in the international community and is casting negative repercussions on the future of democracy and state of Human Rights in Pakistan, he added.
Copyright © 2021 Independent Pakistan | All rights reserved
