Elections to be held on new census, says PM

Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said that the upcoming general election in the country would be conducted based on the new digital census.

The PM, however, rejected the notions that it would cause any delay in the polls. He also emphasized the importance of holding elections based on the recently conducted census in 2023. Shehbaz Sharif said once the country's census results were available, he planned to convene a meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI), which included chief ministers from all provinces.

The PM made these remarks during an interview to a local private TV on Tuesday.

Shehbaz Sharif while talking about the election process clarified that it is the responsibility of the Election Commission to conduct the elections, and he saw no reason for any delay.

He mentioned that his government would complete its tenure before the designated time, despite the completion of the PDM government's tenure on August 12.

Talking about caretaker prime minister, PM Shehbaz mentioned his intention to consult with the coalition partners and Nawaz Sharif, the leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). He stated that he was hopeful that they would reach a consensus on a non-controversial caretaker prime minister with the opposition leader Raja Riaz, and if not decided within seven days, the matter would go to the chief election commissioner.

PM Shehbaz said that it was beyond his control as it was dependent on international crude oil prices, explaining that the increase was a result of the IMF agreement, and the government could not provide subsidies other than those mentioned in the budget.