Pakistan

Senate passes resolution seeking delay in elections

  • Senator Dilawar Khan cites cold weather, security issues as reasons behind seeking the delay
Published January 5, 2024

The Upper House of the Parliament on Friday passed a resolution seeking a delay in the general elections by a majority vote.

The resolution was tabled by Senator Dilawar Khan, who cited cold weather and security issues as reasons behind seeking the delay.

The development comes with just a little over a month left in the general elections scheduled for February 8.

A conducive environment is required for the conduct of elections, the resolution emphasised, mentioning that the situation in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) is deteriorating, with attacks on Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazal (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and National Democratic Movement (NDM) chairman Mohsin Dawar.

Aimal Wali Khan of Awami National Party (ANP) and others have also received threats, it added.

The resolution stated that anti-terrorism operations are ongoing in KP and Balochistan, and the health department is also on high alert fearing spread of the coronavirus. It suggested that conducive environment be provided to run election campaigns across the country.

The Senate approved the resolution with a majority vote, while PML-N Senator Afnan Ullah and Caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi opposed it.

Reacting to the resolution, former finance minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Taimur Khan Jhagra termed it “shocking and disgraceful”.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) senator Taj Haider condemned the resolution presented in the Senate.

“The resolution passed in the Senate is a conspiracy against democracy,” he was quoted as saying in a post on X by the official account of PPP.

Haider strongly criticised the Senate chairman for playing a “conspiratorial role” in the passing of the said resolution.

The resolution presented in the Senate was not included in the agenda, according to the PPP senator.

Speaking to a press conference later during the day, PPP senator Sherry Rehman said her party did not support the resolution. “The resolution is not a law and the elections should be held on time,” she stressed.

Only 14 members of the Upper House were present at the time the resolution was passed, Sherry Rehman said.

Comments

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Charlie Jan 05, 2024 02:55pm
Yeah good enough reason to delay it for 5 years.
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Hamid Jan 05, 2024 03:13pm
Wow! What a compromise to extend the rule of compromised!
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KU Jan 05, 2024 03:27pm
There were rumours, especially when less told news and reports about the political unrest in KPK, GB and Punjab are troubling the government and fear of the aftermath of election result protests. But given the recent international news on our country, it seems that the power horde have been told to behave if economic assistance is to be ensured.
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Arshad Jan 05, 2024 03:27pm
CIRCUS !
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Parvez Jan 05, 2024 03:52pm
Holding elections that have already turned into a farcical exercise....or not holding elections amount to one and the same thing.
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Aneesh Suhravardi Jan 05, 2024 04:20pm
Ok so because of the cold and security threats, the general elections have been postponed.... The question is when? What I find funny is that when did we not have security concerns in Pakistan....
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Anonymous Jan 05, 2024 04:36pm
For cold = every political party should distribute warm clothes to voter in their election campaign For Security = Deploy security agencies
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Twain pen di Jan 05, 2024 04:41pm
these fellows are not even good at making excuses, cold weather and security issues lmao, what next shortage of gas and electricity.
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TimetoMoVVeOn Jan 05, 2024 05:23pm
@Twain pen di, next excuse is ... India is behind the scam to have elections so we are not having one.
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TimetoMoVVeOn Jan 05, 2024 05:25pm
Which is bad... holding a comical election when the clear winner is jailed or the comical reasons for not having a comical election
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Johnny Walker Jan 05, 2024 05:40pm
Comparing them to primates would be an insult to primates. Comparing them to venal, self seeking, corrupt and morally bereft two legged upstanding creatures is better suited.
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AI Jan 05, 2024 06:05pm
These puppet have once again delivered for the brass. Who is going to stand up to protect the constitution and democracy? Anyone?
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TimetoMoVVeOn Jan 05, 2024 06:35pm
Pakistan has lofty goals and dreams...among these, become the symbol of ummah, standing for the righteous, showing how fake India is, showing the world they stand up for Kashmir and Palestine, liberate Kashmir and Palestine....great! These are admirable. But all this starts with a clean house and giving respect and power to its own people first. Without starting there, none of the other dreams matter. Over the years, it has ceased to operate as a normal country. During the IK period, it looked like there was some normalcy, even though the economy tanked. Now it is just KING MUNIR.
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HashBrown® Jan 05, 2024 07:05pm
@TimetoMoVVeOn, "Which is bad... holding a comical election when the clear winner is jailed or the comical reasons for not having a comical election' The number of hindustanis living without toilets is almost twice the entire population of Pakistan, but you guys are still obsessed with our elections. For me, that's easily the most comical thing of all.
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Muhammad Yasin Jan 05, 2024 07:23pm
Democracy is not meant for societies which are victim of obscurant and illiterate hapless masses where no concept of independent choice. Accordingly preferences are determined on the basis of tribal, feudal,caste and creed. We have been enjoying sham democracy and now conducting a mock election exercise.
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TimetoMoVVeOn Jan 05, 2024 09:46pm
A tainted election, which is all but certain, does not auger well for Pakistan's development goals. There is much development that needs to take place in Pakistan. But to get all the stakeholders and the public behind national initiatives, the public must be on the side of the govt. This election is all but a farce, with the ECP taking away the bat symbol for frivolous reasons. Meanwhile, General Munir is going on acquiring demi-god status. He is just a Grade 17 officer supposed to report to the secretary of defense. Instead, he is crowning himself emperor.
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HashBrown® Jan 09, 2024 03:21am
@TimetoMoVVeOn , "But all this starts with a clean house and giving respect and power to its own people first." Imagine getting a lecture like this from the only country left in the world that still has a flourishing caste system. Actually I stand corrected - some states in the US have been forced to usher in new legislation around freedom of religion, because the massive surge of hindustani asylum seekers has brought with it caste prejudice. In other words, you guys aren't content to keep your bigotry at home, you're even exporting it overseas now. Pakistan has its problems with power sharing, but of all the places to look for examples of democratic freedoms, your country isn't even on the horizon.
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