ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has appointed four chief justices from high courts along with one of its members as presiding officers to oversee the forthcoming presidential election.
Following the conclusion of the February 8 general elections and the subsequent formation of new governments, President Arif Alvi’s tenure is drawing to a close. According to constitutional stipulations, a new president must be elected within 30 days of general elections, necessitating the elections to be held by March 9.
The Islamabad High Court’s chief justice has been designated as the presiding officer for the presidential election in both the Senate and the National Assembly. Meanwhile, an ECP member will assume this role for the Punjab Assembly in Lahore.
Likewise, the Sindh High Court’s chief justice will preside over the proceedings for the Sindh Assembly in Karachi, while for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly in Peshawar, this responsibility falls to the chief justice of the Peshawar High Court.
In the Balochistan Assembly in Quetta, the chief justice of the Balochistan High Court will oversee the presidential polls.
The ECP has outlined that these presiding officers will handle the acceptance of nomination papers from candidates and chair the meetings of the parliament and respective provincial assemblies.
The election commission is scheduled to announce the election timetable on March 1.
It is anticipated that former president Asif Ali Zardari will assume the presidency for the second time, as the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), among other political entities, have agreed to form a coalition government at the center.
On February 13, a six-party alliance comprising PML-N, PPP, MQMP, PML-Q, IPP, and BAP announced their intention to form a government at the center, following the pattern of the last government of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).
PPP leader Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has expressed his party’s support for PML-N in electing its prime minister without joining the federal government.
However, when asked about the constitutional positions of National Assembly speaker, Senate chairman, and president, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari stated that the party will decide its nominees for these positions, expressing his preference for Asif Ali Zardari to become president, citing his ability to address the country’s challenges.
