Not possible to meet the 90-day deadline”, Qazi Faez Isa.
US wants transparent, inclusive elections in Pakistan: Victoria Nuland
Islamabad_The potential date for the upcoming general elections in Pakistan has come to light, with expectations pointing to January 28, 2024, whereas today marks the deadline for submitting objections to the preliminary constituencies to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
According to reliable sources, the anticipated date for the nationwide general elections is January 28, 2024, which falls on Sunday.
The electoral watchdog after two days is expected to formally communicate this information to the Supreme Court. The Commission has initiated preparations for the elections based on the proposed date.
It is pertinent to mention here that President Arif Alvi recently expressed concerns about a potential delay in the general elections during an interview with a private TV channel. He expressed uncertainty about whether the elections would proceed as scheduled in the last week of January.
The Commission, however, quickly refuted rumors about election postponements. Regarding the remarks made by President Dr. Arif Alvi about possible delays, the ECP declared that all arrangements for the next general elections had been finished. As soon as the final constituency publication is made, the election calendar will be made public.
The deadline for submitting complaints to the ECP on the preliminary constituencies is today. The objection submission time has been extended by eight hours by the commission. Review of the objections will take place between October 28 and November 26, with November 30 being the date of the constituencies’ final release. There are additional guidelines available for raising objections.
Earlier,
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, earlier this week, during the apex court’s hearing on the issue of timely elections observed that it was “not possible” to meet the 90-day deadline for holding elections and lamented the lack of preparations of the petitioners.
The CJP’s remarks came as he is leading a three-member bench comprising himself, Justice Athar Minallah, and Justice Amin-Ud-Din Khan to hear the petitions filed by the Supreme Court Bar Association, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and others seeking elections within the 90-day constitutional limit.
During the hearing, the SCBA lawyer apprised the court that the “90-day period will complete on November 3″.
To this, CJP Isa inquired whether it would even be possible to hold the polls within 90 days, to which the lawyer conceded that even if the top court gives the order even then it will not be possible to hold the elections within 90 days.
Meanwhile,
Acting Deputy Secretary of State and Under Secretary for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland on Friday spoke to caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani to discuss critical issues in the US-Pakistan partnership.
Acting Deputy Secretary Nuland and Foreign Minister Jilani discussed matters of mutual interest in facilitating the safe and timely resettlement of eligible Afghans to the United States.
They also agreed on the importance of free and fair elections that are inclusive and held in a manner consistent with Pakistan’s laws. Both the acting deputy secretary and Foreign Minister Jilani discussed the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The acting deputy secretary highlighted the United States’ call for the release of all hostages and the protection of civilians from harm. Nuland and FM Jilani also agreed on the need for a continuous flow of humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza and to prevent the conflict from spreading.
