By Muhammad Saleh Zaafir in The News, October 30, 2023
ISLAMABAD: The election in the country could be held in the third week of January, a week earlier than indicated by the Election Commission of Pakistan more than a month ago.
The schedule for polls will be announced in the first week of December and elections may be held in January. Sources in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) told The News here Sunday that no date had yet been determined for polling since it would be mad public when the schedule would be announced. January 28, being Sunday, could be speculated and a possibility of polls on any Sunday couldn’t be ruled out. The sources revealed that the ECP was studying the situation in provinces to ascertain difficulties, if any. The facilities available in various parts of the country required for smooth election have also been identified.
The ECP has completed its examination of the situation in Sindh and Balochistan. It is satisfied with the arrangements in place in the two provinces including security. The commission has also surveyed the paraphernalia needed on a regular or emergency basis during electioneering across the country. Its members spend two days in Karachi and one day in Quetta.
ECP Chairman Raja Sultan Sikandar and other members are in Lahore to examine the situation in Punjab. The commission will conclude its work in Lahore today (Monday) and is likely to return to Islamabad in the evening. The ECP members will be visiting Peshawar in the first week of November. The commission has been interacting with chief secretaries, IGs and other senior officials concerned. The commission will be ready with the situation report of the ground in the second week of the next month. The ECP will make a formal demand for army troops and paramilitary forces for assistance in smooth conducting of polls, sources said.
They revealed that the commission could acquire chartered plans and planes available with the provincial as well federal government on need basis including choppers and planes. The fleet of the most sophisticated choppers of the Cabinet Division, Prime Minister’s plane, governors and chief ministers’ planes could also be used during the electoral process, if required. To a query by his scribe, the focal person for coordination with other departments and ECP secretary, Omar Hamid Khan maintained that the commission was determined to hold polls in a free, fair and transparent manner as it would ensure transparency of the whole process to political parties much before the polls. The commission would take all stakeholders and parties into confidence about fairness. The ECP would ensure its complete neutrality in the whole process, the secretary said.
The commission is hopeful that the process of delimitations of constituencies wouldn’t take a day more than what has been earmarked earlier and it couldn’t cause any delay in making arrangements for elections.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1124237-elections-likely-in-third-week-of-january-in-sindh-balochistan
- PAK POLIITICAL SCENE – Nawaz huddle
Nawaz to chair first PML-N huddle in four years
by Syed Irfan Raza in Dawn, October 30th, 2023
ISLAMABAD: After spending four years in exile, PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif is all set to chair a formal meeting of the party in Lahore, to take stock of the prevailing political situation and chalk out a strategy in the run-up to general elections.
The announcement of the meeting, likely to be held in Jati Umra on Tuesday, came a day after the PTI decided to approach like-minded parties — particularly the PPP — in its quest for a level playing field and transparent elections, slated to be held in January next year.
Mr Sharif, who returned from London earlier this month after spending four years in self-imposed exile on medical grounds, is also expected to take up the distribution of PML-N tickets to aspirants for the National Assembly and provincial assemblies for the upcoming polls.
An insider told Dawn that the huddle would also review the possibilities of electoral alliances with other political parties. It will also discuss which political parties could pose challenges to the PML-N by forming a joint front against it, the party leader said.
“Nawaz Sharif will also seek suggestions from senior PML-N leaders on how to boost the chances of success in the elections, especially on how the party could bag a maximum number of seats in polls, particularly in Punjab,” he added.
Murree sojourn
The elder Sharif spent his Sunday in Murree ahead of his court hearing in Islamabad on Monday (today). This was his second trip to the hill station since his arrival in the country on Oct 21.
After the hearing in the federal capital, Mr Sharif is likely to head back to Lahore, where he will chair the first formal meeting of the PML-N in four years.
There were speculations that Mr Sharif might meet disgruntled party leaders in Murree during his stay. But these reports were denied by a PML-N leader, who said the former prime minister did not meet anyone during his brief stay.
“He is in Murree only for his [court] hearings in Islamabad,” the insider said. https://www.dawn.com/news/1784905/nawaz-to-chair-first-pml-n-huddle-in-four-years
