On Monday, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) conveyed its inability to accept the Senate resolution advocating the postponement of the February 8 election.
In a letter to the Senate Secretariat, the ECP stated that it had reviewed the upper house resolution during a session. The letter highlighted that the ECP had chosen the February 8 polling date after consultation with the President, and caretaker governments had been instructed to ensure law and order.
The ECP asserted that it had completed all preparations for the upcoming general elections, emphasizing that elections in winter were a historical norm. The letter also mentioned the ECP’s assurance to the Supreme Court regarding the scheduled February 8 elections, stating that it would be inappropriate to postpone the elections at this stage.
Earlier, Senator Dilawar Khan had addressed a letter to Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani, pointing out the election commission’s inaction regarding the resolution passed on January 5, which called for the election’s postponement.
Notably, another resolution seeking a delay in the February 8 polls was introduced in the Senate the previous Sunday, citing adverse weather and security conditions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Senator Hilalur Rehman submitted the resolution, citing severe cold weather, snowfall, and security challenges as hindrances for the general elections. The resolution urged the ECP to postpone the polls to a date acceptable to all relevant stakeholders.
This marked the third resolution in the upper house advocating a delay in elections. A similar resolution had been tabled a couple of days earlier by Senator Hidayatullah from the Independent Parliamentary Group.
The resolutions cited extreme weather conditions in hilly areas and a deteriorating security situation as reasons for the proposed delay.
Earlier in the month, the Upper House of Parliament had adopted a resolution seeking a delay in polls due to extreme weather and security concerns, as proposed by independent Senator Dilawar Khan during a session attended by only 15 lawmakers.
