Daily Times

President Dr. Arif Alvi reaffirmed his loyalty to Imran Khan, the leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), who has been detained for more than two months on serious charges.

In an interview with Hamid Mir, President Alvi expressed his support for his party chief and stated that it is imperative to provide equal opportunities for all political rivals prior to the polls. He declared, “Imran Khan is still my leader,” describing the cricket legend as a financially honest individual and believing that there was no reason to question his sense of patriotism.

Alvi reiterated his condemnation of the events of May 9, which saw attacks on military and civilian targets, but he also said that forgiveness can help our nation move forward. Grinning, the President claimed that if he hadn’t been in government, he would have been imprisoned because of his affiliation with the PTI led by Imran Khan.

Alvi responded that he would stay in office until the next presidential election was concluded when questioned about elections and his term. He doubted the date that the ECP had proposed because he believed that elections would not take place in January.

Alvi recalled his letter to the head of the ECP suggesting a solution; in response, the commission said it was not required. He recalled the time Chief Electoral Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja turned down his request to meet.

Elections were supposed to take place within three months of the national legislature’s dissolution, but the ECP said it needed more time to redraw constituencies in light of the most recent population census, so an interim setup is currently in place in Pakistan.