Pakistan (Commonwealth Union)_ Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah of Pakistan has indicated the possibility of a delay in the country’s general elections until March of the following year. According to reports, this consideration arises in light of the approval of a new census by the Council of Common Interests (CCI). The implementation of this census would necessitate the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to undertake a fresh delimitation of constituencies.
Sanaullah elaborated on the potential timeline, stating, “If delimitation of constituencies is carried out, then the elections will be held in the third week of February or the first week of March.” He made this statement while addressing a program titled “Naya Pakistan.” In a notable development, the government led by the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) declared its intention to dissolve the National Assembly prematurely on August 9. This strategic move would enable the Election Commission to conduct elections within 90 days, rather than the standard 60 days, if the legislative body concludes its constitutional term on August 12.
Regarding the timing of the Pakistan elections, which were initially slated for October or November of the current year, the Election Commission is compelled to organize the forthcoming general elections based on a freshly conducted digital census. As conveyed by Pakistani media sources, this decision was finalized after the unanimous approval of the 2023 headcount by the Council of Common Interests. Sanaullah underscored the significance of the CCI’s decision, noting that the census for 2023 garnered endorsement from all four chief ministers and representatives of diverse political parties. He emphasized, “In my opinion, holding fresh delimitation is a constitutional obligation.”
Drawing on the constitution’s stipulations, the Interior Minister stated that conducting two general elections based on a single census is not in alignment with the established norms. He clarified that the constitution necessitates a fresh delimitation of constituencies following the official disclosure of the new census results. Furthermore, Sanaullah acknowledged the array of concerns expressed by political parties regarding the census findings for 2023. Addressing the appointment of a caretaker prime minister, he confirmed that no decision has been reached yet concerning the final nominee for the temporary chief executive.
