AVN 65.12 Decreased By ▼ -0.28 (-0.43%)
BAFL 29.50 No Change ▼ 0.00 (0%)
BOP 4.05 No Change ▼ 0.00 (0%)
CNERGY 3.54 Decreased By ▼ -0.06 (-1.67%)
DFML 11.71 Increased By ▲ 0.36 (3.17%)
DGKC 42.60 Decreased By ▼ -0.06 (-0.14%)
EPCL 45.86 Decreased By ▼ -0.91 (-1.95%)
FCCL 11.80 Decreased By ▼ -0.05 (-0.42%)
FFL 5.52 Decreased By ▼ -0.08 (-1.43%)
FLYNG 5.89 Decreased By ▼ -0.06 (-1.01%)
GGL 10.68 Decreased By ▼ -0.01 (-0.09%)
HUBC 66.91 Decreased By ▼ -0.21 (-0.31%)
HUMNL 5.45 Decreased By ▼ -0.07 (-1.27%)
KAPCO 24.12 Decreased By ▼ -0.03 (-0.12%)
KEL 2.06 Decreased By ▼ -0.02 (-0.96%)
LOTCHEM 25.15 Increased By ▲ 0.11 (0.44%)
MLCF 25.41 No Change ▼ 0.00 (0%)
NETSOL 74.22 Decreased By ▼ -0.98 (-1.3%)
OGDC 84.04 Decreased By ▼ -0.56 (-0.66%)
PAEL 10.60 Decreased By ▼ -0.10 (-0.93%)
PIBTL 3.71 Decreased By ▼ -0.21 (-5.36%)
PPL 62.60 Decreased By ▼ -1.00 (-1.57%)
PRL 12.46 Decreased By ▼ -0.18 (-1.42%)
SILK 0.86 Decreased By ▼ -0.01 (-1.15%)
SNGP 39.12 Decreased By ▼ -0.34 (-0.86%)
TELE 7.90 Decreased By ▼ -0.27 (-3.3%)
TPLP 14.32 Decreased By ▼ -0.22 (-1.51%)
TRG 107.11 Decreased By ▼ -1.04 (-0.96%)
UNITY 13.16 Decreased By ▼ -0.30 (-2.23%)
WTL 1.18 Decreased By ▼ -0.01 (-0.84%)
BR100 4,035 Decreased By -27.6 (-0.68%)
BR30 14,315 Decreased By -103.2 (-0.72%)
KSE100 39,880 Decreased By -202.5 (-0.51%)
KSE30 14,771 Decreased By -55.9 (-0.38%)
Pakistan

Holding polls in Punjab can be difficult as operation against militants underway, IG tells ECP

  • Punjab Inspector Gen­eral (IG) Dr Usman Anwar says it would be difficult to hold the provincial assembly elections till the operation was over
Published February 8, 2023
Follow us

Punjab Inspector Gen­eral (IG) Dr Usman Anwar on Wednesday informed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) that it would be a “difficult task” to hold elections in the province until the ongoing police operation against militants is completed.

Last week, Punjab Police foiled a terrorist attack on Makerwal police station in the Isakkhel district of Mianwali.

Following the incident, the Punjab police launched a major counterterrorism operat­ion in the highly complex and inac­cessible hilly areas of the Mian­wali district.

During the meeting with ECP, the Punjab IG said that a police operation was underway in some districts which would be completed in four to five months.

He said it would be difficult to hold the provincial assembly elections till the operation was over.

The development comes hours after President Arif Alvi asked the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to release the schedule for polls in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Punjab in accordance with the Constitution.

As per the Constitution of Pakistan, elections have to be held within 90 days of the dissolution of provincial assemblies.

In a letter, Alvi stated that the Constitution did not permit a delay in elections and that “postponing provincial polls will translate to going against the Constitution.”

“The schedule of elections should be released immediately. This will also end the ongoing propaganda against ECP,” he wrote.

In the letter, Alvi also wrote that “the conduct and holding of elections is the primary and essential duty of ECP as per PART VIII of the Constitution- in particular, Article 218 (3) casts a duty on the ECP to ensure holding of a fair and free election.”

Thus, it is ultimately the Commission, which if it fails to discharge its functions and duties, is to be held responsible and answerable for the violation of our Constitution.“

He went on to say that one of the oldest democracies of the current era, the United States of America is strong because it has never delayed elections.

“I am of the firm view that there are no such circumstances as may furnish any justification for delaying or postponing of elections, in fact if such postponements of constitutionally mandated elections are evaluated throughout the world in recent history, they have morphed into serious long term set-backs to democracy.”

He also noted that the ECP had already taken an appropriate constitutional step and announced the holding of by-elections of National Assembly seats of various differently situated constituencies.

Comments

Comments are closed.

Holding polls in Punjab can be difficult as operation against militants underway, IG tells ECP

Punjab polls delay: Elections have been held in Pakistan despite terrorism, says SC

Rupee dips against US dollar, closes at 283.92

KSE-100 down 202 points amid economic uncertainty

Remarks on judge: Islamabad court issues Imran’s non-bailable arrest warrant again

Experts weigh in as EU removes Pakistan from list of high-risk third countries

Maryam claims SC judges giving verdicts against PML-N at family’s whims

UAE says its keen to invest in Pakistan economy

President approves appointment of Justice Musarrat Hilali as chief justice of PHC

Russia announces deal to boost oil supplies to India

Putin says sanctions could have 'negative' impact on Russia