ECP's stance endorsed? Zardari says Election Commission bound to conduct delimitation
Pakistan
Rabbani too asks for election date - just like Bilawal
KARACHI/ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) – Former president Asif Ali Zardari – who is also the PPP co-chairman – on Saturday said it was obligatory for the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to carry out delimitation after the census.
At the same time, Zardari said that the country’s top electoral body must hold polls according to the constitution – in a marked contrast to PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari who had demanded announcement of the general election date.
The former president said they had complete trust in Chief Election Commissioner Sultan Sikandar Raja and other ECP members.
Read more: Elections on the basis of old delimitations would be unconstitutional: Rana Sanaullah
However, Zardari through his statement has apparently endorsed the stance taken by the ECP, which says delimitation is mandatory before holding general elections and that the polls could not be held before January next year.
According to a statement shared on the official X – formerly known as Twitter – account of PPP media cell, Zardari stressed that the country was passing through an economic crisis and, therefore, everyone should think in terms of economy, not politics. Everyone’s existence was because of Pakistan, he noted.
On Friday, Bilawal had said that the ECP should announce a date for next general elections, saying his party was ready whenever they were held. “We are ready for elections if held within 60 days and still ready if held in 90 days”, he told reporters.
Read more: It's confirmed. Nawaz Sharif is coming next month
But just hours after Zardari’s statement was issued, PPP Senator Mian Raza Rabbani said the ECP should announce the date of elections and the schedule, citing Article 224 of the Constitution which stipulates a 90-day deadline.
"If the process of delimitation of constituencies is an issue, then the same must be expedited to ensure that the constitutional mandate for holding elections is not violated. A date for such elections should be announced, immediately," read a written statement.
At the same time, Rabbani criticised the higher judiciary for usurping the powers of provinces in favour of centralisation through their judgements.
“The Court must desist from such tendencies as Pakistan, constitutionally, is a participatory Federation. The rollback of provincial autonomy, be it through executive fiats or judicial pronouncements, will sharpen the internal fault lines and will have serious consequences for the Federation,” he said.
