After months of deadlock over the polling dates, Pakistan is preparing to conduct general elections on February 11. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) officially communicated the election date to the country’s Supreme Court, as reported by the media on Thursday, November 2. This development comes after Anwaar ul Haq Kakar assumed office as Pakistan’s interim Prime Minister on August 14, 2023.
On August 9 of the same year, Pakistan’s National Assembly (the lower house of Pakistan’s Parliament) was dissolved on the instructions of former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. As per Pakistan’s Constitution, in the event of an early dissolution, elections must be held within 90 days, necessitating the announcement of a polling date.
Various petitions were filed, calling for general elections in the country, and it was during these proceedings that the election commission made the announcement, while the Supreme Court continued to consider these pleas.
During the hearing, Chief Justice of Pakistan, Qazi Faez Isa, expressed the court’s need for clarity on the issue of delayed elections. In response, ECP lawyer Sajeel Swati stated, “All arrangements, including the drawing of constituencies, will be completed by January 29,” and he further mentioned that the final list of constituencies would be published on December 5.
The lawyer also confirmed the election commission’s intent to hold the polls on a Sunday for the convenience of the public. “Hence, we decided that elections will be held on February 11, which is the second Sunday,” the lawyer added.
According to former ECP secretary Kanwar Dilshad, speaking to Dawn, Senate elections are expected to take place on March 5-6 following the general elections. He went on to estimate that the presidential election would occur after March 15-16. He emphasized that the ECP is now obliged to adhere to the Supreme Court’s guidelines. “Announcing the date to the court was a significant decision, and there is no turning back now,” he added.
This development marks a significant milestone in Pakistan’s political landscape as the country gears up for general elections to determine its future leadership.
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