ISLAMABAD: During a consultation meeting, the MQM-Pakistan (MQM-P) announced its support for the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to conduct elections following the delimitation of constituencies. Simultaneously, the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) urged the electoral body to release the election schedule alongside the delimitation schedule to remove ambiguity.
As part of the consultative procedure, both parties conveyed their stances during meetings with Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja, according to an official statement from the ECP.
The MQM-P delegation was led by Senior Deputy Convener Dr Farooq Sattar. It acknowledged the ECP’s delimitation decision and voiced reservations about the 2017 census. The PTI government conducted a new census audit on the request of MQM-P. They pointed out that the PTI had agreed to hold elections based on a fresh census and had initiated the process accordingly.
The significant migration to Karachi from various cities has led the MQM-P to stress the necessity of aligning delimitation with the new census. This alignment is crucial to ensure proper representation in the National and provincial assemblies. They also advocated for the renewal of electoral rolls.
Meanwhile, the JI remarked that the ECP should have initiated consultations with political parties earlier. They underlined that if the assemblies were dissolved prematurely, elections would need to be held within 90 days. While the JI acknowledged the ECP’s delimitation process, they suggested that releasing an election schedule simultaneously could remove uncertainty.
The JI emphasized that the ECP should uphold its constitutional and legal duties. It also expressed concern about the premature dissolution of the National and provincial assemblies, urging fair representation for the Pakistani people.
CEC Raja assured both parties that the ECP would expedite delimitation and promptly hold elections afterward. He stated that delimitation and electoral roll renewal would occur simultaneously.
Regarding the election code of conduct, the ECP conveyed its intention to consult all political parties again.
