PPP delegation demands ECP to hold elections within 90 days

Islamabad: Pakistan People's Party (PPP) repeated its call for the upcoming general elections to be held within the constitutionally stipulated 90-day timeframe during a meeting with officials from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday.

Following the meeting, PPP Secretary General  Nayyar Bukhari addressed journalists, highlighting Article 224 of the Constitution that mandates a specific window for elections after the dissolution of an assembly. He emphasized that the PPP's stance is for the ECP to declare a new election date and its corresponding schedule. He underscored the prevailing restlessness in the nation, deeming it crucial to announce these details.

Bukhari added that the party's next course of action will be determined after a central executive committee (CEC) meeting in Lahore, where the ECP's response to the meeting will be reviewed.

During the media briefing, PPP leader Sherry Rehman noted that the meeting with the ECP was conducted in a constructive atmosphere, during which the party expressed its concerns.

لائیو: پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی کے رہنماؤں کی الیکشن کمیشن کے باہر میڈیا سے گفتگو https://t.co/gq6o0gTT0G

— Pakistan Peoples Party - PPP (@PPP_Org) August 29, 2023

Rehman underscored that while it is the electoral body's responsibility to conduct elections, the Constitution explicitly states that polls should be held within 90 days following the dissolution of the National Assembly.

Naveed Qamar, speaking alongside Rehman, conveyed that the PPP communicated to the ECP its perspective that the delimitation process need not be "extensive," given that there have been no changes in the composition of provincial seats in the National Assembly. He stated that the process could be completed by December. Qamar added that the ECP indicated it would deliberate on the matter and potentially announce a new delimitation schedule.

The PPP delegation meeting the ECP officials included Nayyar Bukhari, Naveed Qamar, Sherry Rehman, Faisal Karim Kundi, and Syed Murad Ali Shah.

Last week, the PPP's Central Executive Committee (CEC), led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, resolved to advocate for holding general elections within 90 days after the dissolution of the National Assembly. During that session, key decisions, including consultations with the ECP, were made.

Sherry Rehman highlighted the importance of adhering to the Constitution's timeframe, underscoring that a deviation from this course could lead to another crisis. The PPP maintains its stance of holding elections within the constitutionally mandated period.

The ECP is currently engaging with major political parties to finalize the electoral roadmap for the upcoming general elections.

In a prior instance this month, the PPP urged the ECP to promptly announce the general election date, stressing the need for free and fair elections across Pakistan on a unified day.