Solangi says ECP has authority to announce election date

Islamabad: Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi on Thursday said under Article 218(3) of the Constitution the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had the authority to announce a date for the general elections.

The caretaker government would fully facilitate and assist the ECP in holding free, fair and transparent elections, he said while talking to a private channel.

The minister said the Election Commission had already announced that the delimitation of constituencies would be completed by November 30, and soon after that it would hopefully announce the election schedule. He underlined the need for reposing trust in the ECP which was a constitutional institution.

Responding to a query, Solangi said the ECP had been actively working on election since the approval of the result of fresh census by the Council of Common Interests. He said it was clearly stated in the Election Act that all the parties would be given 54 days for the election campaign.

“We fully abide by the Constitution and the law,” he added. According to legal experts, he said, it was the ECP which had the authority to announce the date of election. The minister maintained that actions against power thieves would ensure reduction in electricity prices. He said both the ministries of Finance and Energy had been working the initiatives that would ensure provision of relief to the masses in electricity prices. The minister said measures had been taken to curb dollar smuggling and illegal money exchanges that had helped the rupee strengthen further.

Crackdown had also been launched against those who were involved in hoarding of sugar. To a query, he said the prices of petroleum products were linked with the international market.