KARACHI: President Asif Ali Zardari has approved March 16 as the date for the dissolution of assemblies, Sindh Minister for Local Government Agha Siraj Durrani said on Thursday.

The announcement comes as Pakistan gears up for general elections to be held in spring this year.

On Wednesday, a meeting of the senior leadership of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), of which Zardari is co-chairman, had made it clear that elections will be held on time and that no delay, even for a day, would be permitted on any pretext.

The meeting had observed that ‘some elements’ were seeking to disrupt the electoral system and postpone the upcoming elections. It also noted that if elections can be held in war-torn Afghanistan and Iraq, then there was no reason that they could not be held here on time.

The announcement also comes in the backdrop of a long march to Islamabad on Jan 14 announced by Tehrik-i-Minhajul Quran (TMQ). The march is being supported by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) which is an ally of the ruling coalition government.