Elections in Punjab to take place on the same date.
PTI claims govt trying to delay polls as it fears defeat.
Islamabad_The election commission has announced the date of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly elections,
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly election will be held on October 8, according to a notification issued by the commission.
In a notification, the polling authority said: “…the Election Commission of Pakistan notifies 8 October, 2023 as poll date for the General Elections to the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The Election Programme for election under Section 57(2) of the Elections Act, 2017 will be issued in due course of time.
KP Governor had earlier proposed May 28 as the date for the polls, but later, citing security concerns, he asked the election commission to stage the polls on October 8.
The development will not sit well with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) as it has already opposed the delay of Punjab polls, while the federal government welcomed the postponement.
President Arif Alvi had given the date of April 30 after orders from the Supreme Court. However, on March 22, the ECP postponed the upcoming elections citing security reasons as the major cause behind the change of plan.
Amid the setback, PTI — which had dissolved both assemblies in January for holding early elections — moved the Supreme Court and the case is being heard by a five-member bench, including Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial.
The ECP’s decision to withdraw the earlier announcement for Punjab elections came after security and financial bodies refused to back the commission during the upcoming polls.
In November last year, the PTI chairman had announced the dissolution of KP and Punjab assemblies, and after much back-and-forth, the legislatures were dissolved in January — Punjab on Jan 14 and KP on Jan 18.
Then came the step of announcing election dates and governors from both provinces were reluctant to issue dates until the Supreme Court’s order on March 1 — directing President Arif Alvi to announce a date for Punjab polls and Ali for KP.
Following the announcements of dates, the ECP held consultations with provincial and federal authorities, and it did not receive a welcoming response, as the authorities declined to back the electoral watchdog.
Citing its responsibility towards ensuring fair elections in the country, the election organising authority, in a notification, recounted its various endeavours in trying to ensure that the commission carried out its responsibilities diligently.
