ISLAMABAD: The Senate resolution requesting a postponement of the polls on February 8 was denied by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), which asserted that all preparations had already been made and that it would not be “advisable” to do so.
The ECP statement is a reaction to the Senate’s resolution from January 5, which was introduced by Senator Dilawar Khan and approved by the parliament despite low attendance.
The resolution had given two grounds for postponing the polls: the deteriorating security situation and the severe weather in highland areas.
The ECP said in a statement today that it discussed the resolution at the meeting and noted that directives had been given to caretaker governments to “beef up security matrix and provide congenial environment to the electorate” .
Additionally, the electoral authority stated that it promised to hold elections on February 8, 2024, and that it filed this pledge with the Supreme Court.
In a same vein, the ECP stated that it would not be inappropriate to bring up the fact that previous general elections and municipal elections were conducted during the winter.
The Senate Chairman’s involvement was requested.
Independent member Dilawar Khan pleaded with Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani earlier today to see to it that his resolution, which was just approved by the parliament’s upper house, asking for a postponement of the polls scheduled for February 8th, is carried out.
Many were shocked and incredulous when, on January 5, the Senate overwhelmingly approved a motion to postpone the nation’s general elections scheduled for February 8.
Despite the House’s explicit urging and the subsequent delivery of a copy of the resolution to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Senator Dilawar stated in a letter to the Senate chairman that “it is disconcerting that no tangible steps have been taken by the ECP to postpone the General Elections scheduled for February 8, 2024.”
Senator Dilawar, who proposed the resolution, stated that he was adamant that the issues raised in it ought to be resolved right away.
“In the absence of a resolution to the raised issues, the fundamental purpose of conducting free and fair elections appears compromised.”
The senator stated that in order to effectively “ensure the participation of people from all areas of Pakistan and across the entire political spectrum in the election process, it is imperative that the elections be postponed.”
The letter also stated, “I greatly appreciate your [the Senate chairman’s] prompt attention to this matter and I eagerly anticipate an update on the steps taken in this regard.”
Independent Senators Hidayat Ullah and Hilal-ur-Rehman presented two further proposals to the upper house secretariat last week, following the passage of Senator Delawar’s motion.
The country’s elections have been postponed, according to all three senators, due to the frigid weather and security concerns.
The nation’s general elections are set for February 8; electoral emblems have been distributed to all political parties and independent candidates.
The confusion surrounding the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) decision to halt the appointment of returning officers (ROs) was eliminated last month when the Supreme Court ruled that the LHC’s order was unlawful.
