ISLAMABAD: Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday decided to hold bye-elections on eight vacant seats in four provinces, directing its office to issue a schedule for these elections.

The decision was made after discussing various aspects in a meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja here at ECP headquarters, which was attended by ECP members, secretary and senior leader Pakistan Peoples Party Taj Haider while Adviser Sindh Government on Law Murtaza Wahab and other representatives of Sindh government joined the meeting through video link.

The commission also issued directions to all the provincial governments to ensure fully implementation of SOPs related with the COVID-19 during bye-elections.

The meeting was informed that six provincial assemblies’ seat are vacant while two National Assembly seats are vacant included one each from Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa while six provincial assemblies’ vacant seats are from one each from Balochistan, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and three from Sindh.

It was further informed that the bye-elections had to delay due to COVID-19 situation.

Representatives from Sindh government assured the ECP to provide full support to the ECP particularly in fully implementation of COVID-19 SOPs during election process.

They informed the meeting that coronavirus cases were low in Umerkot and Sanghar.