The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) excused itself on Monday from adhering to the latest resolution passed in the upper house seeking to delay general elections.
In a letter to the Senate Secretariat, the electoral watchdog stated that the resolution was reviewed and the ECP reached the decision that polls cannot be postponed at this stage. The letter stated that the ECP fixed the date of February 8, 2024, for general polls after consultation with President Dr. Arif Alvi, while the election body had also issued instructions to the caretaker federal and provincial governments in this regard.
ECP also stated that the commission had completed all necessary preparations for general elections and polls had taken place during winters in previous years. The letter added that the ECP has also assured the Supreme Court regarding holding polls on the scheduled date. Multiple resolutions have now been submitted in the Senate seeking a delay in polls, citing security and weather concerns. Senator Dilawar Khan, in a letter to the Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, stated that despite the House passing a resolution on January 5 regarding election delay, no action has been taken yet on this matter.
In the letter, Dilawar said that the resolution passed by the Senate on January 5 “aptly reflected the collective aspirations of the House”. “However, despite the Senate’s explicit urging and the subsequent dispatch of a copy of the resolution to the ECP, it is disconcerting that no tangible steps have been taken by the ECP to postpone the general elections scheduled for February 8,” he said. Dilawar said that as the mover of the resolution, he “firmly believed” that the concerns articulated in the motion must be promptly addressed. “The essence of holding free and fair elections appears compromised without a resolution to the issues raised. In light of this, I humbly request your intervention as the custodian of the House,” he said as he sought the status of the recommendations outlined in the resolution.
“It is imperative that we ascertain the progress made and ensure the postponement of the general elections scheduled for February 8, thereby facilitating the effective participation of people from all areas of Pakistan and across the entire political spectrum in the electioneering process,” Dilawar said. “Your swift attention to this matter is highly appreciated, and I eagerly anticipate an update on the steps taken in this regard,” he concluded in the letter to Sanjrani.
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