Wednesday, February 12, 2025
Wednesday, February 12, 2025
HomeTop NewsPPP postpones protest call for simultaneous elections in Pakistan

PPP postpones protest call for simultaneous elections in Pakistan

KARACHI: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Tuesday withdrew its Sindh-wide protests call for the same day elections in the country, warning that the elections would be given again if the concerns of the public were not met.

PPP leader Nisar Khuhro confirmed the party’s decision, calling the move a “show of restraint”.  The PPP leader asked the state institutions to pay heed towards the public’s voice and hold simultaneous polls across the country.

He warned, “if the public’s demands are not addressed, another protest will be announced,”  Opposing the fragmented polls, the PPP leader was of the view that they would not only harm the country’s political system but would also harm the transparency of the polls.

Khuhro stated that the simultaneous polls after completion of the five-year term would strengthen Pakistan.  He suggested that “if necessary, Punjab and K-P assemblies may be restored” and allowed to complete their constitutional term. After that, he said, caretaker governments could once again be established, and elections held on the same day across the country.

PPP had announced protests to be held on April 25 throughout the province against court-mandated elections in Punjab, voicing their reservations against fragmented polls. Khuhro had sought both provincial and general elections on the same day and said that the party would hold protests across all district headquarters.

He had emphasized that Section 69 of the Elections Act, 2017, stipulates that elections should be held in the national and provincial assemblies on the same day, and Sindh would only accept same-day elections, not separate polls. He had suggested that holding elections on separate dates would be equivalent to dividing the country into two parts, implying that there were “plans” to influence electoral outcomes in the remaining two provinces by holding elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) first.

Khuhro had urged the courts not to become involved in Imran Khan’s conspiratorial efforts, adding that Sindh would not allow a wedge to be driven between the country. He had underlined that it was the responsibility of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to oversee the provision of elections and to determine the date for elections. Therefore, he had said, the electoral watchdog should be given space to fulfil its duties.

Pakistan is presently embroiled in an impasse over elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), with significant institutions of the country coming face to face since the provincial assemblies were dissolved earlier this year.

The Supreme Court (SC) had allowed political parties until April 26 to develop a consensus on provincial elections. If they failed to do so, the court noted that its order regarding the Punjab Assembly elections on May 14 would take effect.

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