President of Pakistan Arif Alvi has announced April 9 as the date for holding polls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, after there was a delay in deciding the date for elections by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
The president made this announcement by using his power under Section 57 (1) of the Elections Act, 2017.
He has also asked the ECP to issue an election programme in accordance with Section 57 (2) of the Act.
The president wrote to the Chief Election Commissioner saying that he was under oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution under Article 42 read with the third schedule of the Constitution.
The ruling alliance parties have rejected the move. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said that President Alvi is exceeding his limits and that he is doing so at the behest of his leader Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan.
