ISLAMABAD: Former ruling party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has demanded of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) ensure a level playing field for the political party in politics; its political prisoners are released, cases against them are removed and they are allowed to hold political activities.
The PTI has also demanded that the general elections be held within the constitutionally-mandated 90-day time period.
On the invitation of the ECP, a PTI delegation comprising Dr Babar Awan, Barrister Ali Zafar and Barrister Umair Niazi met the ECP’s top management on Thursday. PTI’s Ali Muhammad Khan joined the meeting through video link.
Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja presided over the meeting.
The PTI leaders informed the CEC that hundreds of party office-bearers, and thousands of party workers and supporters were languishing in jails out of frivolous charges in politically-motivated cases.
The PTI leaders urged the CEC to play his role in ensuring that PTI was given level playing field; with the removal of “fake” cases, removal of restrictions on political activities and release of party members.
The PTI delegates opposed the launch of constituencies’ delimitation exercise by the ECP, saying this move would delay the elections.
The CEC assured the delegation that their concerns would be looked into.
Separately, a delegation of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazal (JUI-F) also met the CEC and other senior ECP officials. The delegation comprised Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Maulana Darvesh and Jalaluddin. Kamran Murtaza joined the meeting via video link.
Unlike those of the PTI, the JUI-F leaders were of the view that since the former federal government notified the results of digital population census 2023 and the ECP launched delimitation of constituencies, the ECP should complete this drive and hold the general elections in accordance with the results of the delimitation exercise.
A day earlier on Wednesday, the ECP wrote letters to the top leaderships of PTI, JUI-F, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) to “discuss the electoral roadmap” for general polls.
As part of this programme, the PTI and JUI-F leaders visited the ECP on Thursday.
The PML-N is invited today (Friday) whereas PPP has been invited to the ECP on the coming Tuesday.
Recently, the electoral body launched its exercise to delimit the constituencies of the national and provincial assemblies in accordance with the results of the digital population census without consulting any political party.
According to a directive issued by the commission on August 17, the limits of the revenue units (across the country) stood frozen from Thursday, August 17, and there shall be no change in the limits of the revenue units till the completion of the delimitation process. The final publication of delimitation results is scheduled on December 14, the directive stated.
This indicates that the general elections may not be held before March next year—and that too in case ECP proceeds to hold preparations for general elections in 90 days — immediately after the completion of the delimitation exercise.
It is worth mentioning here that the National Assembly was dissolved on this month’s 9th—a scenario which implies that the general elections are required to be held not later than November 7 this year, within the 90-day period mandated by the constitution.
Sindh and Balochistan legislatures were also dissolved in the ongoing month.
Article 224(2) provides that when the NA or a provincial assembly is dissolved, a general election to the assembly shall be held within a period of 90 days after the dissolution, and the results of the election shall be declared not later than 14 days after the conclusion of the polls.
The general elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are already witnessing inordinate delay – keeping in view that both the provincial legislatures were dissolved in January this year and respective caretaker governments are since running the affairs of the two provinces.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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