ISLAMABAD: Leader of the House in Senate Ishaq Dar, Friday, apparently attempted to defend the failure of the ECP in ensuring timely general polls, contending that the conduct of the general elections in the country, within the constitutionally-mandated 90-day period, without the completion of the delimitation of constituencies exercise, would have been unconstitutional.

“The constitution says that general elections be held in the 90-day period (after the dissolution of National Assembly). We also want that the polls be held within this 90-day period. But other provisions of the constitution also need to be kept in view,” he stated on the floor of the house in the Senate session presided over by Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani.

Dar said the digital population census 2023 was approved with consensus in August this year— and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was constitutionally bound to launch the delimitation of constituencies for the assemblies after the population census completed.

President Alvi, ECP agree on holding elections on February 8

In such a situation, holding the general polls in 90-day period without the completion of delimitation drive would have been unconstitutional, he said.

Taking the floor, Leader of the Opposition in Senate Dr Shahzad Waseem lauded the Supreme Court’s role in having a meeting held between the president and the chief election commissioner on Thursday wherein consensus was reached between the two sides for holding general elections in the country on February 8. “This is a very welcoming step that would certainly help clear the air of uncertainty shrouding the fate of general elections,” he remarked. He recommended to move forward with a “new mindset and the spirit of reconciliation.”

Meanwhile, Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti, on behalf of Caretaker Finance Minister Shamshad Akhtar, who was not in the house, laid before the Senate the Annual Report of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on the State of Pakistan’s Economy for the Year 2022-2023.

The interior minister, on behalf of Caretaker Law Minister Ahmed Irfan Aslam, also laid in the house the Annual Report for the Year 2022 of the ECP.

Bugti, again on law minister’s behalf, laid in the house the Federal Public Service Commission’s (FPSC’s) Annual Report for the Year 2021. The laying of these reports before the house is a mandatory requirement under the relevant laws.

Apart from that, 12 reports were presented in the house by the heads of the relevant Senate committees. Later, Fida Muhammad Khan from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) pointed out the quorum which was found to be lacking. The house that met for less than an hour was then adjourned till Monday.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023