Pakistan President Arif Alvi and the country’s election body on Thursday (Nov 2) reached a consensus on holding general elections on February 8 next year. This comes after a deadlock over the poll dates continued for months and the Supreme Court while hearing petitions over the delayed polls asked the electoral body to discuss the issue with the president.
After this, a delegation led by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja held discussions with the president at the Aiwan-i-Sadr in Islamabad, reported Dawn. In a letter by CEC Raja addressed to the president, 11 February was proposed as the election date.
Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan was also present at the meet along with the delegation from ECP. “After a detailed discussion, the meeting unanimously agreed to hold general elections in the country on February 8, 2024,” as per a statement by the Presidency.
Anwaar ul Haq Kakar took office as Pakistan’s interim prime minister on August 14. Pakistan’s National Assembly (lower house of parliament) was dissolved on August 9 on former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif’s directions. After that, as per Pakistan’s Constitution, the president was obliged to hold elections within 90 days of an early dissolution.
There had been a bunch of petitions seeking general elections, and just as the poll body made the announcement, the apex court was hearing these pleas.
Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, during the hearing, urged the election body to give the apex court some clarity over the looming issue of delayed polls.
Responding to this, the ECP lawyer Sajeel Swati said, “All arrangements including the drawing of constituencies will be completed by Jan 29,” and added that the final list of constituencies will be published on December 5.
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In addition the lawyer also confirmed that the poll body is vying to hold polls on a Sunday, keeping in view the ease of the public. “Hence we decided that elections will be held on Feb 11, which is the second Sunday,” the lawyer had added ahead of the reached agreement for February 8 to be the date for the polls.
The outcome of the elections next year is highly unpredictable. The country’s former PM Imran Khan, who was quite popular among the voters and held significant clout, is behind bars while the three-time PM Nawaz Sharif returned to the country after years of self-exile.
Former ECP secretary Kanwar Dilshad, while speaking to Dawn, also revealed that following the general elections, Senate elections are expected to be held on March 5-6. “And by my estimates, the president will be elected after March 15-16,” Dilshad reportedly said.
He said that now “ECP is bound to follow the guidelines of the SC.” “It was a major decision to announce the date to the court and it would be impossible to walk back from it now,” he added.
(With inputs from agencies)
