ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi has said he would administer the oath to PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif if elected prime minister for the fourth time in the upcoming elections.

In an interview with VOA Urdu, President Alvi said he would “comply with the constitutional requirements” of administering the oath to the elected prime minister.

In April 2022, President Alvi excused to administer the oath to Mr Nawaz’s younger brother, Shehbaz Sharif, who became the prime minister following the ouster of Imran Khan through a no-confidence motion.

“My post demands it. I will fulfil my post’s responsibility. It should be done. I will administer the oath to whoever the public chooses,” the president said in the interview published on Thursday.

Alvi says Constitution doesn’t allow him to take action to ensure transparency in polls

On the question of a “level playing field” for all political parties to participate in general elections, Mr Alvi said this was the “responsibility of the government and Election Commission of Pakistan”.

“The government has already given assurance about providing a level playing field to all parties,” he said, adding the nation has “full trust” in this proclamation.

The president added that he recently wrote a letter to care-taker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar about PTI’s appre-hensions regarding equal oppor-tunities for all parties in the run-up to elections.

To a query, he said the Constitution doesn’t allow presidents to take a “practical action” to ensure transparency in elections.

“The president has no other way but to bring such issues to the government’s notice.”

“There can be many expectations [from me to act in a particular way], but I will not take any unconstitutional steps,” he said.

He continued that the country could overcome challenges relating to political stability if politicians, the executive and establishment “make a joint commitment to address the issues”.

He also expressed confidence that the elections would be “reflective of public opinion” and lead to an “environment of stability and prosperity”.

The president said he was not the spokesperson of any party but of all Pakistanis. “I will continue to identify and point out whenever I see any issue.”

On a question about cases faced by his party’s chairman, the president said they were sub judice and that he had “full confidence in the judiciary”.

He also renounced the attacks on military installations on May 9, adding that he doesn’t believe in the politics of violence.

“The governments should not create such a situation which may lead to violence,” the president added.

He also refused to comment on the trial of civilians allegedly involved in the May 9 attacks, saying that the cases were pending before military courts.

Published in Dawn, November 17th, 2023