PTI, PPP refuse to pass crucial bill

Both parties still want next general elections to be held on time

ISLAMABAD:

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has proposed an early dissolution of the provincial assemblies if a national consensus is reached on the matter, to ensure that the next general elections are held on time.

The party has announced that they will also prematurely dissolve the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa assembly- where it is in power- in case a consensus is reached.

On the other hand, however, the PTI has made it clear that they will not support a crucial constitutional amendment bill seeking to delimit constituencies in light of a recent census and subsequently reallocate national and provincial assembly seats.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) warned the government last week that elections will only be held on time if the parliament enacts the pending bill before November 10 in accordance with the Sixth Population and Housing Census results.

Minister hints at elections delay if law not passed for fresh delimitation of constituencies

When PTI spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry was asked why they were delaying the bill so crucial to holding the elections on time, he said that it was not properly discussed in the Council of Common Interest (CCI), a forum for the provinces to develop a consensus before a bill is brought for a vote in parliament.

“PTI will not tolerate any delays in the next general elections, not even the pretext of the pending bill in parliament,” the PTI spokesperson said.

Chaudhry was of the opinion that provincial assemblies should be prematurely dissolved and elections should be held on the same day throughout the country while adding that the delimitation bill should be readily discussed before putting it up for a vote. PTI was also of the opinion that the government is deliberately making moves to delay the next elections.

PTI backs down on early elections demand, wants them held on time

“Given the complete paralysis in governance, the PTI will oppose any legislation aimed at delaying general elections,” PTI chief Imran Khan said in a tweet on October 31.

Ironically, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) offered a similar excuse on November 2, when the government announced during the National Assembly session that keeping in mind the CCI decision, it intends to put the bill in for a vote.

Speaking on the House’s floor, PPP’s Naveed Qamar said that as Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah had already informed him that such a decision was not taken at CCI, the government was trying to play tricks on the opposition. Although, initially the PPP had said that it will support the bill.

It is very likely that the bill will reappear before the assembly during this week.

The census was held in April this year. According to the constitution the delimitation will be based on the final results of the census while the new law stipulates that the ECP should finalise the polling scheme six months before the general elections.