Originally scheduled for November, the elections were deferred to February for the redrawing of constituencies following a new census….reports Asian Lite News
Pakistan’s Election Commission has strongly opposed any further delay in the upcoming vote, responding to a controversial resolution by senators seeking additional postponement of general elections. Originally scheduled for November, the elections were deferred to February for the redrawing of constituencies following a new census.
In January, the Senate’s non-binding resolution, citing adverse weather, security challenges, and a surge in COVID-19 cases, drew criticism. The Election Commission, responsible for overseeing polls, expressed commitment to the Supreme Court for holding the general elections on Feb. 8. The Commission, in a letter shared by Interim Information Minister Murtaza Solangi, emphasized having made necessary arrangements, pointing out that previous elections had been successfully conducted in winter.
Pakistan is currently under a caretaker government led by interim Prime Minister Anwaar ul-Haq Kakar, entrusted with overseeing the upcoming elections. Unusually empowered, this caretaker government can make policy decisions on economic matters, a recent legislative change aimed at fulfilling conditions for a $3 billion International Monetary Fund bailout secured in June.
Security concerns loom over the electoral process, evidenced by recent violence in Waziristan and Turbat districts, where an independent candidate and others were fatally shot, and a former minister faced a critical attack.
Political analysts express anxiety over an extended period without an elected government, fearing potential military consolidation. The military, having a significant influence throughout Pakistan’s history and ruling intermittently for over three decades since independence in 1947, could capitalize on a power vacuum to further strengthen its control.
Sindh bans carrying, displaying weapons
The Sindh government in Pakistan has imposed a 45-day ban on carrying and displaying weapons across the province ahead of the upcoming general elections, as reported by ARY News.
The provincial caretaker imposed Section 144 on the request of the Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP).
However, the police, rangers and law enforcement agencies will be exempted from the ban, as well as the registered security guards are also permitted to carry arms on duty, according to the notification issued by the Sindh governnment.
The Station House Officers (SHOs) are directed to register the case in case of violation, ARY News reported.
Notably, the ban was recommended by the police to avoid any untoward incidents in the wake of the elections in Pakistan, the statement said.
The general elections are scheduled to be held on February 8 in Pakistan.
Earlier on Monday, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), during a meeting, gave a ‘nod’ for printing 250 million ballots with watermarks for the 2024 general election, as reported by ARY News.
The printing of the ballot papers will be ensured by three printing corporations, according to the sources said.
However, last week, a third resolution seeking a delay in the February 8 polls landed in the Senate, citing the weather and the security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as reported by Dawn.
It cited the cold weather and increasing incidents of terrorism in KP as reasons for delaying polls, adding that the increasingly cold weather and snow were not providing a conducive environment for citizens to cast their votes and were also creating challenges for candidates trying to campaign.
Earlier on January 5, the Pakistan Senate passed a resolution seeking to delay the polls due to ‘security concerns’.
Moreover, the resolution was subsequently condemned by politicians and lawyers, who also termed it a “conspiracy against democracy” and asserted that polls should be held on time.
ECP Urges ‘Mandatory’ Women Representation
Ahead of the general elections, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has directed political parties to ensure “mandatory” 5 per cent representation of women candidates on general seats, Pakistan-based Geo News reported.
In an order issued on Sunday, the ECP directed all political parties concerned to comply with Section 206 of the Elections Act, 2017, to ensure a mandatory 5 per cent representation of women candidates on general seats after the allocation of election symbols.
The ECP also directed the political parties to submit a list of male and female candidates for general seats within five days. The electoral watchdog on Sunday concluded the crucial phase of allotment of electoral symbols to registered political parties, Geo News reported.
The institution was forced to extend its deadline for symbols’ allocation multiple times due to the pending verdict of the Supreme Court hearing as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) tried to get back its electoral symbol.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa and comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Musarrat Hilali announced their unanimous verdict.
The apex court declared the Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) January 10 order “null and void”, depriving PTI of its electoral symbol ‘bat’ just days before the general elections set to be held on February 8, Geo News reported.
It is pertinent to note here that an electoral symbol is important for any political party as voters are aware of which candidate to vote for on election day. However, PTI does not have a unified symbol now, which might result in the party losing votes due to confusion among the people, according to Geo News report.
After the verdict, the ECP announced that it had completed the symbols’ allocation process to advance to the next phases of the upcoming elections. According to the schedule, the upcoming phase will further clear the air about the final candidates who will participate in the electoral contest.
As Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) stands deprived of its iconic ‘bat’ symbol after the Peshawar High Court order, the party candidates are being allotted other symbols by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), ARY News reported
Following the Supreme Court verdict, PTI chairman Barrister Gohar said that all party candidates would contest elections independently. Khan, who has been deprived of his post of PTI chairman after the apex court judgement, was allotted “teapot” as election symbol while Shaukat Yousafzai’s symbol has been “racket”, ARY News reported.
PTI’s Shahryar Afridi will contest the election with the “bottle” symbol, and Shandana Gulzar has been given the symbol “bowl”. On the other hand, PTI senior leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s children Mehr Bano Qureshi and Zain Hussain Qureshi have been allotted electoral symbols chimta (tongs) for NA-151 and shoe for NA-150 constituencies of Multan, respectively.
Umair Niazi will fight the election with the symbol ‘door’ on Mianwali’s NA-90 seat. Shoaib Shaheen has been given a ‘shoe’ to contest elections in Islamabad’s NA-46 constituency, according to ARY News. Shandana Gulzar will fight the elections with ‘Piyala’ (bowl) in NA-30 constituency of Peshawar and ‘kettle’ will represent Barrister Gohar Ali Khan in NA-10 constituency of Buner.
According to the returning officer, in NA-177, PTI’s Maqsood Khan Jatoi has been allotted the symbol of a ‘hookah’, and in NA-178, PTI’s Daud Khan Jatoi has been given the symbol of a keychain, ARY News reported.
PTI’s Shairam Tarkai from PA-20 and Rangzeb Khan from PK-49 have been given the symbol of a dove. PTI’s Aqibullah Khan will fight with the peacock symbol in PK-50 while Abdul Karim has been allotted the symbol of a kettle in PK-51. (ANI)
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