ECP dismisses three petitions: dispels impression of upcoming polls’ delay

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday dismissed three petitions regarding delay and holding of election simultaneously on the provincial assembly seats of Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) dispelling the impression of the General Election 2018’s postponement.

The country’s election watchdog responsible for holding free, fair and impartial election rejected all the three petitions from South Punjab and FATA while giving the verdict on reserved decision.

A counsel Barrister Farogh Naseem representing Mutahida Qabail Party (MQP) pleading for the new delimitation of FATA’s constituencies said this was not an issue of one per cent seats but dealing with 15 per cent seats of tribals.

The commission Member of KPK to a question about delay in the election said that “Election schedule has been issued.”

Farogh argued that 15 percent of the country’s citizens would be deprived of their representation if the election would be held on July 25.

Responding to this the Chief Election Commissioner remarked “The government will be formed with the vote of 85 percent public and vote of 15 per cent can be managed”.

The Barrister pointed out that “The weather is likely to be very hot on July 25.”

The commission said “If the election is being held in December then the people of Kaghan say it will be cold.”

During the hearing, Kamran Murtaza, the counsel of another petitioner, said, “We do not want a delay in elections but want elections to be held across the country on the same day.”

The counsel said that the holding of elections countrywide on the same day will ensure that nobody is neglected and that elections are not influenced by the ruling party.

Kamran Murtaza advocate said it is the constitutional right of the people of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) to vote for their candidates.

To this, the chief election commissioner remarked there was fresh delimitation of constituencies in FATA.

Meanwhile, MQP and Tehrik Jawanan Pakistan held a demonstration near NADRA office in favour of their demands.

Talking to media, Chairman MQP Habib Malik Orakzai predicted more protests across the country for the future of their children.

He demanded to hold general elections 2018 on both Provincial and National Assembly seats of FATA under the same caretaker set up to avoid influence of upcoming democratic setup.

Chairman Tehrik Jawanan Pakistan Muhammad Abdullah Gull questioned “If ECP was holding elections in FATA on 12 seats of National Assembly then why it was reluctant to hold the elections on 16 seats of provincial assembly.”