The ECP dismissed President Arif Alvi’s statement on Thursday, which cast doubt on the ECP’s commitment to holding elections in January.
In an interview with a private television station on Wednesday, the president stated that he did not expect general elections to be held in January of 2024.
President Alvi has stated, “I do not believe that elections will be held in January.”
The president stated during the interview that he had written a letter to the ECP suggesting to settle the election date issue, but that he had received the response “it is not necessary.”
Alvi stated that he would not have signed the Elections Act 2017 amendment because “it is against the Constitution” regardless of whether or not he had gone on Hajj. I did not approve the final version of the measure that amended Rule 57/1.
Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, who was acting president while Alvi was on Hajj, signed the modifications to the Election Act.
Notification of Election Programme states, “The President shall announce the date or dates of the general elections after consultation with the Commission.”
In its statement, the ECP said it “strongly rejected” the president’s comments that a postponement in the 2024 elections was possible.
“The commission has already clarified its position regarding the matter,” the electoral body said.
It said that delimitation had been finished, and that the next step of examination, dealing with objections, will be finished on Friday (today).
By November 30, 2023, the ECP promises to release the definitive list of constituencies, along with the definitive timetable of elections for 2024.
That “there is nothing uncertain about this,” the electoral authority said.
In a separate matter involving the potential impact of the caretaker federal ministers on the elections, the ECP sent notice on caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar.
The case was heard by a five-person panel presided over by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja. The commission heard from Aamir Rehman, the country’s additional attorney general.
He was asked by the bench if he could also defend Fawad Hasan Fawad, Tauqeer Shah, and Ahad Cheema.
The AAG claimed that the Election Commission had not been notified. “You could notify the four people who responded.” The hearing was postponed until October 31 and the caretaker prime minister was ordered to be notified.
