Government key ministers Rana Sanaullah and Khawaja Asif have both stated that there is a possibility of delay in holding the general elections this year.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced that the national assembly will be dissolved on August 9, following which elections should be held within 90 days.
Shehbaz sharif on August 1, made it clear that elections will be held on the basis of latest census. Earlier government ministers Rana Sanullah and Ahsan Iqbal had reiterated that elections will be held on the basis of old census.
Key coalition partners, including the PPP are opposed to the idea of holding elections on the data of the latest census. The Council of common Interest in a meeting on Saturday have approved results of fresh digital 2023 census, making it almost certain that elections will not be held this year and the likely delay is on the card due to the need for fresh delimitations. The responsibility of holding elections within three month has been shifted on the election commission of Pakistan.
The ECP has recently and in the past declared that the exercise of fresh delimitations is not possible within three months, a minimum of four to six months are required for the delimitations.
Speaking to Geo news program ‘Geo Pakistan’ the interior minister Rana Sanaullah said that 2023 is not the year of election, the minister statement clearly hinted at a delay in the general elections.
When asked about the finalisation of a care taker Prime minister, the minister said that,
‘’ No name has been locked, all names given are respectable and the decision will be made soon after consultation with the government allies and the opposition leader” said Rana Sanaullah.
Opposition leader Raja Riaz in a statement said that three names for the slot of care taker Prime minister have been finalized and those names will be given to the Prime Minister in a meeting tomorrow Wednesday. Speaking to ARY news, Raja Riaz said that elections will be held in March 2024.
Government key ally, MQM has nominated Governor Kamran Tessori as a potential candidate for the slot of Care Taker Prime Minister.
The prime minister will send a dissolution of the government summary to the president Arif Alvi . If the president does not sign the summary in 48 hours, the government will stand dissolved.
Prime Minister paid a farewell visit to GHQ today, as per ISPR, Shehbaz Sharif was received by the Army chief. In a ceremony Shehbaz sharif announced that he will hand over the government to a care taker Prime minister after fulfilling constitutional requirements.
