KARACHI: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Ghulam Ali has urged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to address concerns raised by political parties regarding the February 8 general elections.
In an interview with DawnNewsTV, Mr Ali said: “It would be better if the election commission calls a high-level meeting of these political parties before the elections or a few days after them, and takes action after hearing their concerns.”
His statement came a day after the Senate adopted a resolution seeking to postpone general elections, set to be held on February 8, over security and bad weather concerns. The resolution passed on Friday was moved by Senator Dilawar Khan with only 15 lawmakers in attendance.
In the interview, Governor Ali mentioned the issues of “law and order, 18-hour-long load-shedding, and toughest winter” that were hindering polls.
“In other areas where there is winter as well as snow — including Naran, Kalam, Swat and Chitral — people are saying how we will encourage our voters to come out [and vote],” Governor Ali said, adding that there were reports forecasting snowfall in Peshawar as well. The governor said Peshawar was facing the “toughest winter” and asked, “Which voter would come out [of their homes] in this situation?”
Ghulam Ali highlights law and order, electricity, harsh winter as major issues
He also claimed that none of the parties he had talked to “wanted the elections to not take place” but rather, their “demand was for peace and protection”.
Mr Ali said it was his “respectful request and suggestion” to the ECP to sit with the political parties and “convince” them how it could provide them protection.
The reason why people were questioning whether the elections would take place or not was that a “tempo is not being created”.
He said that it was the provincial government’s duty to “improve the law and order situation and protect the people.”
The governor said the federal government and state institutions were also responsible for the same, highlighting that the army had agreed to deploy troops and provide the requisite support, he said.
He stated that the time frame of polls being held within 90 days of the National Assembly’s dissolution had passed “so elections should take place”, but the reservations should be considered.
Published in Dawn, January 8th, 2024
