Conspiracy being hatched to rig polls: PPP

Party official says elections can’t be delayed on wishes of two parties

ISLAMABAD:

PPP Information Secretary Faisal Karim Kundi has said general elections cannot be delayed on the wishes of two political parties in an apparent reference to the PML-N and the PTI parties.

“Elections cannot be postponed merely based on the desires of two political parties. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is bound by the Constitution, not by the preferences of two individuals [PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif and PTI chief Imran Khan],” Kundi said on Sunday.

While the ECP recently announced that general elections are slated for the last week of January, the exact date remains unspecified, leading to speculation.

Kundi alleged that the delay in announcing the election date is part of a plan to manipulate the electoral process.
Kundi urged the authorities to prioritize holding elections and allow the people to decide their representatives, instead of perpetuating what he termed the "selection" experiment.

PPP Chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari also expressed concerns over stalled democracy and elections during a rally in Karachi.

He was seemingly referring to the return of PML-N's Nawaz Sharif after four years of self-exile.

Bilawal insisted that elections should proceed regardless of the circumstances, and he pledged to advocate for their timely conduct.

Previously, the PPP supported the PML-N government, which assumed power after former Prime Minister Imran Khan was ousted via a no-confidence vote in April of the preceding year.

The PML-N government's tenure was set to conclude on August 12, but it dissolved the National Assembly three days before the scheduled end.

According to the Constitution, elections must be held within 60 days of the assembly's term completion, but premature dissolution extends this period to 90 days.