ECP lacks authority to decide on date, PHC told

PESHAWAR:

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has submitted its reply regarding the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa elections in the Peshawar High Court.

The PHC had sought a response from the ECP on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's application regarding the elections.

According to sources, the ECP said in its reply that it could not give the date for holding the K-P elections, as it was only bound to conduct the elections and lacked the authority to decide the date.

The ECP sources said that K-P Governor Haji Ghulam Ali gave the date of Oct 8 and the ECP had issued a notification in the light of the date given by the governor.

Separately, talking to the media on the occasion of the National Games ceremony held at the Governor House on Monday, Ali said after consultation with the ECP, the date for holding K-P elections was scheduled for Oct 8.

“Today, we are united on the election issue,” Governor Ali said.

“The Supreme Court is the biggest court, the ECP is also a big constitutional body. As a governor, I have also met two or three times with the president of Pakistan.

“I requested president (Arif Alvi) that we have to make a unanimous decision regarding the election. The Supreme Court and parliament will all be one and the decision will be in the interest of the country. The ECP has given the date of Oct 8 and I have agreed,” the governor said.

Ali said that the provincial government had written a letter to the Punjab chief minister to end the flour crisis in the province.

He assured the people that the flour crisis would soon be solved in the province.

When the torch of the National Games held in Quetta reached Peshawar, it was also taken to the Governor House.

Pakistan Olympic Association Vice President Syed Aqil Shah handed over the torch to the governor.

Various personalities associated with sports, international and national players were also present at the event.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, May 9^th, 2023.