Alvi should resign after CJP’s remarks in election case: Dar

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) senior leader and former finance minister Senator Ishaq Dar has urged President Arif Alvi to step down after the chief justice’s observations against him in the election delay case.

“It would be suitable for the president to step down voluntarily as his constitutional tenure has ended,” said the PMLN stalwart while speaking in the Geo News programme Jirga hosted by Saleem Safi on Sunday.

Dar apparently referred to Supreme Court’s Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s recent remarks that President Alvi violated the Constitution by not announcing a date for the general elections. The top judge made these remarks while hearing a set of petitions seeking timely elections within 90 days of the dissolution of assemblies last week.

“Following the Supreme Court’s remarks, it would be better if the president resigns voluntarily,” Dar said.

Speaking about the upcoming general elections slated to be held on February 8 next year, the former finance czar said it was feared that the polls could be further delayed until the end of February due to delimitation of constituencies.

However, he said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) saved time in carrying out the process to draw new boundaries. Dar said the establishment had facilitated the leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the past and demanded that a truth and reconciliation commission should be formed to ascertain the facts.

“I will demand constituting a truth and reconciliation commission if the PMLN is elected to power,” he remarked.

He further said no party has done as much development work as the PMLN in the country and added that a 16-month PMLN-led coalition government was not enough to stabilise the economy.

“It was a difficult decision for Nawaz Sharif whether to take the government for 16 months or not,” Dar said, adding that Pakistan would have defaulted if the coalition government had not come to power after the PTI-led regime’s ouster. The Imran Khan-led government was removed from power via a no-confidence motion in April last year.

He said the PDM government averted a Sri Lanka-like situation in Pakistan by rescuing the economy from default. “Some international forces also wanted Pakistan to default,” Dar claimed.

Responding to a question related to the electoral alliance, Dar ruled out forging an alliance with any political party at the national level. However, he said seat-to-seat adjustment was possible. “Seat adjustment is also possible with the PPP.”