According to ECP, postponing Feb 8 elections is not advisable. It has been informed that all arrangements for the elections scheduled for February 8 have been completed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and that putting off the elections would not be “advisable” at this time.
A statement by the ECP came in response to the Senate resolution passed by Senator Dilawar Khan on January 5 requesting a delay in the February 8 elections in the face of low attendance in the Senate.
According to the resolution, the postponement of the election was due to harsh weather conditions in hilly areas and an escalating security situation in the country.
The ECP stated in a statement today that in the meeting, it deliberated on the resolution and observed that caretaker governments were being issued directions in order to “beef up the security matrix and provide a conducive environment for peaceful elections” to take place.
As well, the governing body for the elections said that it had committed to hold elections on February 8, 2024, before the Supreme Court of India.
As a follow up to this, the ECP decided it would be appropriate to mention that local government elections and general elections have traditionally been held during the winter months in the past.Â
‘Tangible steps’ are demanded by senator
Dilawar Khan, a lawmaker from the Independent Party of Pakistan, emailed Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani earlier today, urging him to ensure that his resolution, which was recently approved by the upper house of parliament, seeks to postpone the February 8 elections.
The Senate unanimously passed a resolution on January 5, to the surprise and disbelief of many across the country, announcing the postponement of the general elections in the country scheduled for February 8.
The Senate chairman was sent a letter from Senator Dilawar that despite the House’s explicit urging and subsequent mailing of the resolution to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), despite the fact that the resolution has been sent to the ECP, it continues to be disconcerting that the ECP has not made any tangible moves to postpone the February 8, 2024 General Elections.
Having moved the resolution, Senator Dilawar said that he was certain that the concerns expressed in the resolution needed to be addressed as soon as possible.
“It appears that holding free and fair elections would be compromised if there were not a resolution to the issues raised regarding the elections.”
It is imperative for the postponement of the elections to be ensured so that people from all areas of Pakistan and from across all political spectrums will be able to participate in the electoral campaign in a meaningful manner.
“I highly appreciate your [the Senate chairman’s] prompt attention to this matter, and I look forward to hearing from you as soon as possible regarding any further progress made in this area,” the letter began.
Immediately after Senator Delawar’s resolution was passed, independent Senators Hidayat Ullah and Hilal-ur-Rehman also submitted two more resolutions to the upper house’s secretariat last week, following the passage of Senator Delawar’s resolution.
A cold climate and the security situation have been cited by all three senators as reasons for delaying the elections in the country due to the cold weather.
On February 8, all parties and independent candidates are scheduled to take part in the general elections that will be held throughout the country. The electoral symbols have been allocated to all political parties and independent candidates.
There was great uncertainty surrounding the election results after the Supreme Court invalidated the Lahore High Court’s (LHC’s) decision last month to suspend the appointment of returning officers (ROs) for the upcoming elections.
However, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) Maulana Fazlur Rehman has also suggested that the polls be delayed because of an increase in terror incidents in the country, particularly in the province of KP.
That news provided by timenews.
+ There are no comments
Add yours