ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has welcomed the announcement made by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) with regard to conducting the general elections in the last week of January next year. In a statement, PML-N secretary-general Ahsan Iqbal said that the ECP’s decision with regard to the general polls has ended the uncertainty about the delimitation.

“From the day one, everyone knew that the election commission is bound to conduct delimitation after the census,” he said, adding that earlier the ECP had stated to complete the delimitation process by December 15 after which the polls were expected to be held in February next year.

He said that the PML-N had given suggestions to the ECP to reduce the given timeframe for the delimitation exercise. In light of those suggestions, he added that the ECP reduced the delimitation time till November 30 and then announced elections at the end of January after the 54-day period.

“Now, the uncertainty should end after the announcement of general elections. All the parties should start preparations for the polls,” the PML-N leader said, adding that it is important that the elections are held peacefully and a stable government is formed that takes the country out of the economic crisis.

He added that any party that comes into power should take all the parties on the same page and work on the economic agenda with consensus.

He said that the delimitation exercise is a constitutional requirement, adding that without the process, the concept of one-man-one-vote will vanish.

About the return of PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif, he said that the party is excited to give a “historic” welcome to the former premier.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023