ISLAMABAD: With general elections only a week away, the dramatic turn of events surrounding their fate had another twist on Wednesday after the electoral entity, yet again, warned that the polls could be postponed in the constituencies where ballot papers were being printed afresh—besides summoning a meeting to review law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, today (Thursday).
Following an “emergency” meeting over the issue of ballot papers’ printing, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced that the reprinting of ballot papers in certain constituencies would depend on the availability of the required paper, and the related capacity of the printing presses.
The poll body warned that it would be left with no option but to postpone the general elections in the related constituencies if the required paper was not available for reprinting.
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Earlier this month, the ECP had also warned that general elections could face a delay due to the reason that candidates in different constituencies were having their electoral symbols changed—which, the poll entity said, could cause delay in the ballot papers’ printing.
The Commission is under enormous public criticism for allotting what are being dubbed as degrading election symbols to Pakistan Tehreek–e-Insaf (PTI) candidates who have to contest the general polls as independents in consequence of a Supreme Court’s verdict.
Some of these election symbols include aubergine, pomegranate, bowl, shoe, lamb, harmonium, tongs, hen, bottle, door, the letter ‘K,’ cup and kettle.
Various poll contestants moved the courts for having their symbols changed—and the courts mostly decided in favour of the candidates.
In a late-night decision on January 13, the SC ruled against the allotment of the iconic “bat” symbol to the PTI by declaring its intra-party elections as null and void. The decision, that came just 25 days ahead of the general elections, sparked a controversy across the socio-political spectrum of the country—triggering a heated debate over the rights of the political parties— and the authority of the superior judiciary to meddle in their internal affairs.
Meanwhile, the ECP has summoned a meeting with the senior bureaucracies of KP and Balochistan to review law and order situation in the two provinces. Currently, the PTI’s political rallies as well as the candidates are being mainly targeted in terrorist attacks in the two provinces.
In a related move, the poll entity postponed general elections on two seats of Bajaur; National Assembly’s NA-8 and KP Assembly’s PK-22, following the killing of a candidate Rehan Zeb Khan in an alleged terrorist attack on Wednesday. He was contesting the polls on these two seats.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024