ISLAMABAD: The upcoming elections in both Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab have apparently been hit as their governors on Wednesday did not give dates to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for holding elections in the two provinces. It was called by the election monitoring body. them
In fact, he advised the ECP to take stock of the country’s security situation – especially after a bomb blast inside a mosque in Peshawar that claimed more than 100 lives a day earlier.
In a letter written to the Chief Election Commission (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja, Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Haji Ghulam Ali wrote that the opinion of the law enforcement agencies should be taken before holding the elections.
He further said that for this purpose security agencies as well as political parties should be taken into confidence.
The governor urged the election supervisor to interact with the law enforcement agencies as the situation in the province is alarming after the recent incidents of terrorism.
He further said that the date of elections should be announced after consultation with law enforcement agencies and political parties.
The ECP spokesperson said that the KP Governor has not yet announced the date for the elections in the province.
Similarly, Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman also advised the ECP against holding elections in his province in the near future citing the law and order situation and financial problems in the country.
He also did not tell the date of holding the election in the province.
He told ECP that it is important to take all stakeholders on board before announcing the date of provincial elections.
He said that Article 105 (3) of the Constitution cannot be applied in the present situation.
Article 105 (3) states: “Where the Governor dissolves the Provincial Assembly, notwithstanding anything contained in clause (1), he shall, (a) appoint a date not later than ninety days from the date of dissolution; General elections to the Assembly; and (b) appoint a caretaker cabinet.
Earlier, the ECP had sent letters to the Governors of KP and Punjab with the proposed dates of elections in both the provinces.
The electoral watchdog had suggested April 15 to 17 for elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and April 9 to 13 for elections in Punjab.
He asked the respective governors to select a date within the given timeline.
Also, Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Syed Aminul Haq said on Wednesday that the digital census will continue till March, after which the Election Commission will need four months for delimitation, which made it clear. That general elections were not being held in the country. Possible before October 2023.
He said this while addressing the Internet Governance and Internet Resources Share for Pakistan event organized by Number Resources Society (NRS).
Meanwhile, PTI leader Farrukh Habib criticized the coalition government for the high rate of inflation and the recent increase in the prices of petroleum products.
Addressing a news conference in Lahore, the PTI leader observed that the rate of inflation which was 12 percent during the PTI government has increased to 27 percent in the current government.
Despite all the intelligent and experienced people in the government, inflation has broken the back of the people. The cost of living under the current government is skyrocketing,” he said.
By increasing the prices of petrol and diesel by Rs 35, the government has done injustice to the people who were already fed up with unprecedented inflation.
Habib said that the present government has deprived the people of food due to the multifold increase in the prices of food items.
“Earlier flour which was Rs 60 per kg is now being sold at Rs 160 per kg. Pulses, milk and other essential food items have become beyond the reach of the common man.
The PTI leader noted that Pakistan saw an 11 percent drop in its remittances while foreign investment declined by 180 percent.
He pointed out that the government will again increase the electricity rates on the demand of the International Monetary Fund.
He said that “law does not exist in the country because anyone who utters a single word is accused of treason”.
