A letter has been sent by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to the Principal Secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). The Date of Election for the Province is expected to be announced by Monday, March 6. The Governor of KP Ghulam Ali reports that the letter was received on Friday evening, and the Secretary is expected to open it when he returns from leave on Monday.
On January 14 and January 18, the assemblies for Punjab and KP, respectively, were dissolved. According to the law, elections had to be held within 90 days of the dissolution of the assemblies.
The Supreme Court, however, ordered the President to announce the election date after consulting with the commission because the governors had been reluctant to set a date for the polls. Additionally, it was mandated that the KP governor set the date of the election.
After meeting for the third time since the SC’s order, the ECP wrote to KP Governor Ghulam Ali informing him that it was awaiting his response in light of the SC’s decision. Elections for Punjab’s provincial assembly should take place between April 30 and May 7 according to a separate letter the electoral body sent to President Alvi.
The governor of KP claimed that President Alvi unilaterally announced April 30 as the date for the general elections in Punjab. Ali wished that the President, himself, and Sikandar Sultan Raja, the chief election commissioner, had jointly announced a date.
The elections would take place on whichever date was available in light of the SC’s order, Ali continued, adding that the ECP was in charge of making the necessary arrangements. However, he would provide the proposed date.
As a result, the Principal Secretary is expected to open the ECP’s letter on Monday, March 6, and announce the eagerly anticipated election date for KP. Although the KP Governor has stated that he would prefer a unanimous choice, the date will ultimately be revealed in accordance with the SC’s instruction.
