ECP to announce polls schedule in a few days: CEC

Raja says printing and delivery of final electoral rolls concluded

ISLAMABAD:

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will announce the polls schedule in the coming few days, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja on Thursday said. In his message on the occasion of the National Voters Day, Raja noted that the printing and delivery of the final electoral rolls had concluded.

He added that the ECP would notify the district returning officers, returning officers, and assistant officers in the coming days soon.
He said the commission was fully aware of all its constitutional and legal responsibilities. Emphasising the ECP’s complete preparedness and commitment, the CEC assured voters of complete security throughout the election process, ensuring the exercise of their voting rights with privacy and transparency in the polls scheduled to take place on February 8, 2024.

On National Voter's Day, the CEC urged the public to participate in shaping the nation's bright future by exercising their right to vote. He highlighted the importance of people prioritising their children's future by voting and advised against believing unfounded news and rumuors concerning the elections.

Read ECP ahead of its schedule for elections, says CEC

Encouraging public participation in the electoral process, Raja emphasised its significance both as a right and national duty.

Separately, the head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Mission to Pakistan, Nathan Porter, expressed his satisfaction over the recent staff-level agreement with Pakistan on a $3 billion stand-by arrangement, saying the present interim government's policies reflected its commitment to stabilise the economy of the country.

"With that base, hopefully, we can build on and be able to move forward to the reforms to build a stronger, prosperous and inclusive Pakistan," he said at an event hosted by Pakistan's Ambassador to the US, Masood Khan, at Pakistan House for the representatives of international financial institutions (IFIs) -- the IMF, International Finance Corporation, World Bank, and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency.

Porter also appreciated the cooperation and the policies pursued by the State Bank of Pakistan for ensuring fiscal stability in the country. In his remarks to over 40 officials from IFIs, Ambassador Khan said the Pakistani government was grateful to them for their steadfast support in navigating through the country's difficult economic period.

Read ECP demands troop deployment during polls

 

"The past year was difficult for Pakistan," he said. "We have passed through a wrenching transition and moving towards a new phase of stability. Our confidence stems from the people of Pakistan; we have a growing middle class and our human capital is increasing at a very fast pace," the ambassador added.

Athanasios Arvanitis, the deputy director of IMF's Middle East and Central Asia Department also expressed the hope that the elections in Pakistan would usher the country in a new beginning of reforms needed to address its structural issues.
Ambassador Khan said the digitisation of Pakistan's economy was creating new opportunities for young professionals to play a lead role in steering the country towards a bright future.

Pakistani professionals, he said, had proved their mettle and had made the entire nation proud of their accomplishments.
Bahador Bijani, IMF's executive director, noted that the overall improvement in Pakistan’s economic situation, saying that the country’s authorities had delivered.

"I think the future for Pakistan is very bright. Pakistan is not just any country. It's one of the most important countries in the region and in the world. Pakistanis deserve much more," he said. Syed Ali Abbas, another IMF official, hoped that with the successful completion of the electoral process, Pakistan would move towards long-term progress Aftab Qureshi from the World Bank and Sidra Rehman from the IMF also spoke on the occasion, assuring their continued cooperation.

(With input from APP)