Govt praises ECPs’ decision to postpone Punjab elections.

ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb lauded the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to postpone provincial assembly elections in Punjab as “in the best interests of the country.”

In an unexpected move, the election regulatory body in Punjab postponed the election until October 8 because it could not conduct transparent and peaceful polls on the previously scheduled date of April 30

Following that, the ECP withdrew its notification for the Punjab elections and postponed voting for the provincial assembly until October 8, 2023, stating that a new election schedule would be announced in due course.

Also Read: ECP postpones Punjab elections to October 8

The ECP’s announcement has reignited debate over whether the top court, which is ideologically divided, would compel concerned authorities to hold elections in Punjab and K-P assemblies according to the previous schedule, as it had previously invoked suo motu jurisdiction to push for polls in both provincial assemblies to be held within 90 days of their respective dissolutions.

Meanwhile, in a statement issued today, the government backed the ECP’s decision, calling it a step in the right direction “in light of the economic, political, and security situation.”

“Under Article 218 of the Constitution, the ECP is duty bound to ensure transparent, impartial and fair elections,” she said adding that “Article 224 provides that there must be caretaker set-ups in the centre and provinces at the time of elections”.

Marriyum also revealed that the electoral watchdog announced its decision only after consulting with all stakeholders, and that he hoped the decision would pave the way for political stability in the country.

“There were concerns that elections would be imposed on two provinces solely to feed one man’s ego,” she explained, “but governments will be formed in the two provinces only after national assembly elections.”

The statement also emphasised that holding elections in April would have created a number of complications due to the ongoing census. “It cannot be that elections are held before the census in Punjab and K-P and after the census everywhere else.”

“If elections were held in the two provinces, they would have been controversial,” the minister added predicting that if the earlier schedule had been followed, “Punjab and K-P assemblies would have dissolved in 6 months”.

“The ECP has saved the country from a major constitutional crisis”, she maintained, “the constitution cannot run at the whims of one man.”