Ijaz Kakakhel Islamabad
In the ongoing consultation process by Election Commission of Pakistan’s, the Pakistan People’s Party presented on Tuesday its concerns regarding the general elections in a meeting with the ECP Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja.
The party has repeatedly expressed uncertainties regarding the general elections’ date, saying that they should be held within the 90-day period as per the Constitution. On August 17, the electoral body announced the schedule of new delimitations to be carried out as per the new census approved by the Council of Common Interests earlier this month.
The ECP schedule showed that fresh delimitation will take nearly four months, meaning the general elections in the country cannot be held within 90 days of the dissolution of the provincial and national assemblies. “We had a meeting with the ECP in a pleasant environment during which we put all our reservations,” said PPP Vice President Sherry Rehman in a post-meeting press conference.
Rehman said that it is the electoral body’s responsibility to conduct the elections, however, the Constitution says the polls should be held within 90 days after the dissolution of the National Assembly.
Talking to journalists, the PPP leader Nayyar Bukhari said that the Constitution says elections should be conducted within the given time period, adding that it is very important to give a date for elections. “ECP heard our stance and will inform us about the polls after a meeting. We will finalise our next action plan in the CEC meeting in Lahore,” said Bukhari.
