Senior leaders of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Friday voiced their reservations against likely delay in holding general elections, asserting that such postponements would be unacceptable to the party leadership.
Speaking at a press conference alongside party members at Bilawal House in Karachi after a Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting, Senator Sherry Rehman stated that the party’s CEC had unequivocally said that if elections were delayed by more than 90 days, the country would be embroiled in a crisis.
Rehman emphasised that elections should be held within the 90-day timeframe, and any delay in the electoral process based on constituency delimitations should be avoided. She added that a PPP delegation would soon meet with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) officials to discuss the matter.
On the occasion, party leader Faisal Karim Kundi also expressed his views on the situation, saying that the announcement of by-elections in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa by the ECP indicated that timely general elections can also be held nationwide on time.
Former Sindh chief minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said that his party wanted election to happen on time, adding that they should not be delayed due to the census.
He also said that ECP did not require new delimitation for holding general elections. “Constitution says elections must be held within 90 days [of dissolution of National Assembly],” he added.
Another PPP leader, Nayyar Bukhari said that a decision regarding the ECP would be reached during the CEC meeting in Lahore and that the next meeting would determine the way forward.
“Our delegation will meet with ECP officials, and after that, our future course of action will be discussed during the next CEC meeting [scheduled in Lahore],” he added.
The statements of PPP leaders came amidst speculations that the electoral watchdog is adopting a deliberate stance in refraining from promptly announcing a schedule for the upcoming general election.
This approach was attributed to the commission’s engagement with legal intricacies concerning the recently sanctioned digital census after the Council of Common Interest (CCI) unanimously approved the results of the 7th population and housing census.
A senior ECP official elucidated that there is no immediate necessity to announce the date for general elections, as a window until September 12 is available. Another official noted that the ECP could potentially extend this date until September 20.
Legal experts posit that the Supreme Court may play a role in orchestrating the next general elections. The actions of the upcoming Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Qazi Faez Isa, could significantly influence the electoral landscape.
These experts suggest that the ECP should proactively approach the Supreme Court, seeking guidance on conducting elections within the 90-day timeframe following the digital census approval.
