ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday gave another ‘last chance’ to the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to hold long overdue intra-party elections, setting March 14 as the new deadline.

A five-member ECP bench, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja, while hearing the case, gave over two months to the party which sought less than three weeks’ time for the exercise.

At the outset of the proceedings, PML-N counsel Ahsan Jahangir informed the commission that the intra-party polls could not take place due to enormous engagements of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif who was occupied with a number of responsibilities since becoming the prime minister.

ECP member from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa retired Justice Ikramullah Khan said the commission had been reminding the party for a long time to hold party elections. ECP member from Punjab Babar Bharwana said the electoral symbol of the party would be withdrawn if elections were not held by Jan 31.

The PML-N counsel sought time till Jan 31 to ensure compliance with the commission’s order. Mr Jahangir said the party would do the needful and requested the commission not to withdraw the symbol of the party.

CEC Raja remarked that a person who was so busy that he could not hold intra-party elections should not be the party president.

After listening to the arguments, the ECP chief said the PML-N must hold elections within two months, setting March 14 as the last date.

ECP sources said PML-N intra-party polls were due in March 22 last year, but on the party’s request, the ECP extended the date and allowed it to hold polls latest by May 14, and submit the related certificate by May 21, but the PML-N failed to do so.

After the issuance of the final show-cause notices to PM Sharif and PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal in November 2022, the ECP had been assured the polls will be held by the year-end. On Jan 5, another ultimatum was given to the party asking it to hold elections within a week or be ready to lose the election symbol.

According to Section 208 of the Elections Act, all political parties are required to elect office-bearers at the federal, provincial and local levels, wherever applicable, periodically in accordance with the constitution of the respective political party.

Published in Dawn, January 13th, 2023