Pak ministers warn Alvi not to turn Prez House into blackmailing den

ISLAMABAD: Two Pakistani Ministers on Monday warned President Arif Alvi from turning the President's House into a den for blackmailing after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) refused to participate in a meeting he had summoned for today.

The Election Commission, in a letter to President Alvi, stated that the issue of fixing the election date is subjudice and it cannot be part of this process led by the President, Geo News reported.

However, after finding fault with the president's "choice of words" in a strongly-worded letter, the ECP on Sunday said that it may not be able to enter into a process of consultation with the office of the president due to the "matter being subjudice at various judicial fora" and several other reasons.

Meanwhile, the two firebrand federal ministers Rana Sanaullah and Marriyum Aurangzeb have strongly defended the ECP, warningAlvi from making President House a blackmailing den, Geo News reported. In a statement issued on Monday, Aurangzeb said the Presidency has become "Awan-e-Sazish" (centre of conspiracy).

She said that the ECP is a constitutional institution and they will not allow it to become "Imran Khan's Tiger Force". "An attempt is being made to take the election date illegally by pressurising the ECP. Article 6 will be applied to Alvi in case of violation of the Constitution."

She advised Alvi against becoming a puppet of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Separately, Sanaullah also lambasted Alvi for his alleged intervention in ECP's mandate.