ISLAMABAD, Sept 19: The Election Commission said on Wednesday it had made all preparations for holding fair, transparent and credible polls in the country, putting to rest doubts about their postponement.

In a letter written to the leaders of 15 mainstream political parties ahead of a consultative meeting on the upcoming elections, EC Secretary Ishtiak Ahmad Khan said some elements were creating doubts about the elections and the security situation in the country and spreading despondency and confusion in the minds of people.

“It is but evident that such elements have to be proven wrong at all costs because the other option is unthinkable,” the letter reads.

He urged political parties to rise above all other considerations and join hands with the commission to ensure credible and peaceful polls to serve the best national interest.

“So let’s get together to reassure the people that we will cope with all challenges and steer the country safely through the general elections towards peaceful transition of power and a new beginning to solve our myriad problems.”

The letter asks the top leadership of 15 political parties, including the Pakistan People’s Party, Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-i-Azam), Awami National Party, Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf and Jamaat-i-Islami, to either personally attend the consultative meeting scheduled for Sept 27 or nominate two senior representatives to give input on the agenda points.

The agenda includes an overview of arrangements for general elections, local government polls, the steps taken by the commission since the year 2012 began and current status of issues requiring solution by provincial governments before holding the elections, a code of conduct for political parties and implementation of the Supreme Court’s judgment in the Watan Party case.

The letter said preamble of the Constitution states that the state shall exercise its powers through the chosen representatives of people while, on the other hand, the Constitution entrusts the ECP with the responsibility to organise and conduct the elections and to make such arrangements as are necessary to ensure that the election is conducted honestly, justly, fairly and in accordance with law, and that corrupt practices are guarded against, thereby enabling the voters to elect their representatives to voice their demands and aspirations in the parliament, provincial assemblies and through local government institutions at the grass roots level. Thus the Constitution creates this special relationship and it is a matter of great satisfaction that the Election Commission of Pakistan and political parties have been working together to introduce various electoral reforms over the past three years to ensure fair, transparent and credible elections in the country.