Islamabad, 15 March 2023 (GNP): President Dr. Arif Alvi said on Tuesday that he was confident that the elections would take place on time, despite speculations to the contrary.
The president told an envoy of the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) headed by its President Kazam Khan at Aiwan-e-Sadr that holding elections on time will indeed open the path for the country’s political and economic situation to improve.
He emphasized the importance of following the Constitution, stating that the country’s history had shown that postponing elections had negatively affected democracy.
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Referring to his earlier meeting with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Haji Ghulam Ali, the president stated that the K-P governor was a democratic figure who had been encouraged to set the date for elections in line with the constitution.
He claimed he was acting following the constitution, and that the Supreme Court had upheld his decisions.
He added that he was ready to speak with anyone or any political party to protect the country. The president stated that he had also asked the leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf to enter negotiations with other political parties.
He also stated that he had positive working relationships with the government. When asked about the country’s current economic situation, President Alvi stated he was confident that Pakistan would not default because better and more effective financial management could help ease the country’s challenges.
He stated he was against corruption because it had caused significant harm, and as a result, he sent the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Amendment Bill back to parliament.
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He regretted Pakistan had suffered as a result of corruption, nepotism, delayed decision-making, and violations of merit. He urged the media to educate the public by providing analyses and opinions that are honest and responsible.
He stated that print media still played a crucial role in shaping people’s opinions and educating them about important issues, despite the rise of new media. The president underlined the requirement for maintaining the ability to speak freely in Pakistan.