LAHORE, Nov 12: A meeting of the Election Commission of Pakistan is being held in Islamabad during the next few days to decide the schedule for the next general elections that President Musharraf says will be completed before Jan 9.

Chief Election Commissioner Justice Qazi Muhammad Farooq (retired) will preside over the meeting.

Thousands of eligible voters will be in Saudi Arabia in connection with the Haj pilgrimage during the election days and will not be able to exercise their right to vote.

However, those proceeding for the religious duty at the beginning of the Haj operation will be able to come back before the polling day.

The National Assembly candidates will get 54 days and provincial assemblies’ contestants 49 days for the entire process if the elections are held on Jan 8, just a day before the deadline set by the president.

However, if the polls are held earlier, the contestants will get less time for campaigning.

“The candidates normally get 26/27 days for campaign and, they will get so much time for the purpose”, Election Commission secretary Kanwar Dilshad Muhammad said.— Political Correspondent