President Awami Muslim League (AML) Sheikh Rashid Ahmed has suggested that general elections should be delayed till Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is prepared completely and the hot weather is over.
Talking to reporters in his constituency in Rawalpindi, he maintained that the elections are coming closes but there are still complaints coming against the delimitations and incomplete voters' lists. He said that the hot weather would be a major issue on the Election Day. "For the first time in my life, I would like to request the chief justice that our mothers, daughters and sisters would not want to stand in queues for two to three hours in this 50 degrees centigrade," he said, adding that the people would not stand for hours in queues for casting their votes. "Although we appreciate the ECP for announcing polling stations and booths, yet people cannot climb up three floors in this weather. There is serious water shortage in Rawalpindi and power outages are lasting up to four and five hours a day," he said. He further said that the temperature would further rise in Rawalpindi, South Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan with more humidity in paddy, cotton and maize cultivation regions. "So, these conditions must be taken into consideration," he asserted.
Commenting on the Chief Justice Saqib Nisar's views, which made it clear that elections would be held on time, Rashid said if elections are to take place on time then political parties should at least be allowed to facilitate their voters. "Let the elections be on July 25, but the ECP should also allow us to make arrangements and facilitate the voters. We would have to make sure that drinking water is available at 1,180 polling stations," he added
To a question, he said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has not sought his opinion in granting tickets to its candidates. He also claimed that PTI would gain a historic victory in the upcoming general election, adding that people of Rawalpindi are standing behind him and Imran Khan.