Islamabad [Pakistan], January 5 (ANI): With the general elections just around a month away, the Pakistan Senate passed a resolution on Friday seeking to delay the polls due to ‘security concerns’, Dawn reported.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Afnan Ullah Khan opposed the non-binding resolution, which was moved by independent Senator Dilawar Khan during a session with only 15 lawmakers in attendance.
The Upper House of the Parliament has a total of 100 members.
Notably, the general elections in Pakistan is scheduled to be held on February 8, according to Election Commission of Pakistan.
Resolution passed by majority in the Senate today….! @appcsocialmedia @GovtofPakistan @MoIB_Official pic.twitter.com/K1OnrldizV
— Senate of Pakistan (@SenatePakistan) January 5, 2024
Dilawar said the Constitution upheld the right to vote for every citizen of Pakistan and the Election Commission of Pakistan was bound to conduct free and fair polls contingent upon inclusivity and ensuring the participation of all regional people, as per the Dawn report.
“The voter turnout in colder areas remains notably high during moderate weather conditions. January and February are recognised as the coldest months in the majority of the areas in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” he said.
Dilawar noted that various political parties had expressed reservations about facing difficulty ensuring participation in colder areas during the electoral process.
He also expressed “great concern” on recent attempts on the lives of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F (JUI-F) chief Fazlur Rehman, former lawmaker Mohsin Dawar, and other political figures.
“The Ministry of Interior has conveyed serious threats to the lives of prominent politicians, increasing the challenges faced by political parties in exercising their right to a free and fair election,” Dawn quoted Dilawar as saying.
He further highlighted that there had been a spike in attacks on security forces and citizens, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. “The intelligence agencies have warned of militant attacks threats on election rallies in both provinces”.
The senator said alerts had been issued by intelligence agencies indicating “imminent threats” of militant attacks on election rallies, which could have a potential impact on the safety of citizens and the democratic electoral process.
The election schedule may be postponed to facilitate the “effective participation of people from all areas of Pakistan and belonging to all political shades”, he demanded, adding that the delay aimed at upholding constitutional rights to political participation.
Speaking on criticism of the resolution, Dilwar said that the senators from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan had raised concerns regarding rising terrorism in the two provinces and the impossibility of elections in such an environment, according to Dawn.
He said a group of senators had then consulted each other and agreed that “as ensuring elections within 90 days after an assembly’s dissolution was a constitutional requirement, so was ensuring the fundamental right to vote for every citizen”.
Pointing to weather conditions and threats to politicians, he argued that is why the group of lawmakers had felt it necessary if elections could be delayed for an “appropriate time” of “two to four months so the weather improves somewhat”, Dawn reported.
Notably, the elections in Pakistan would have been held in October-November after the National Assembly was dissolved in August. However, the polls got delayed after Election Commission of Pakistan decided to conduct fresh delimitation ahead of the polls. (ANI)
