ISLAMABAD:
The Election Commission of Pakistan announced the schedule for holding by-elections in five constituencies of the National Assembly on Friday. However, the fate of elections hangs in the balance as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) may opt for a stay order against the polls till the completion of the electoral rolls.
“The decision with regard to PTI’s strategy over participation of by-elections will be taken in Saturday’s CEC meeting,” former Pakistan Peoples Party stalwart and PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi told The Express Tribune.
The newly-appointed vice president of the PTI said, “The option of approaching the court for a stay order against the by-elections till the completion of the electoral rolls is with us and we may use it.”
However, he added that a decision will be taken by Friday.
PTI’s information secretary Shafqat Mehmmod, meanwhile, told The Express Tribune that they “will not participate in elections until the process of electoral rolls is completed”.
Earlier in the day, the ECP had issued a schedule for holding the by-elections in five constituencies on February 20.
The Supreme Court had issued directions for the ECP to complete the process of electoral rolls till February 23.
The ECP, however, had said it was difficult for it to complete the process in such a short time. The by-elections will be held on seats vacated by former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi (NA- 148 Multan), Sardar Assef Ahmed Ali (NA-140 Kasur) of the PPP, former leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Makhdoom Javed Hashmi (NA-149), Jahangir Tareen (NA-195 Rahimyar Khan) and Nawabzada Muhammad Khan Hoti (NA-9 Mardan).
Published in The Express Tribune, January 14th, 2012.
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