Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari calls for immediate announcement of election schedule

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Friday called for immediate announcement of a date and schedule for the general elections. He emphasised that only polls could move Pakistan out of economic and political crises, Pakistan-based Dawn reported.

As the elections are potentially just a few months away, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has been engaging in public gatherings and organising party meetings as his party is preparing for polls. One such meeting of the PPP’s Central Executive Committee was held on Friday.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari called the announcement of an election date and schedule the only way to dispel the "confusion and atmosphere of instability and insecurity" prevalent in the country, according to Dawn report. Concerns over the election schedule have been raised after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) ruled out elections this year.

According to ECP, the decision to push elections beyond November 9 was made on the basis of notification of results of the new digital 2023 census and Section 17(2) of the Election Act, which states, "The commission shall delimit constituencies after every census is officially published." While reading out the resolution passed during the PPP's CEC meeting, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said, "The party had an extensive discussion on constitutional matters, including the urgent need for dampening the cycle of chronic political instability which will only settle down with the announcement of an election date and schedule."

He further said, “The party’s lawyers also briefed the leadership on the responsibility of the ECP to announce an election date and schedule immediately as per the constitutional requirement," Dawn reported. Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari raised concerns regarding the lack of a "level-playing field” in the current political landscape. He stressed that his complaint was related to “one party”.

He said PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari was empowered by PPP's apex committee to express these concerns at "appropriate forums" and address them. In an apparent reference to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), he also recalled that “one party” had conspired to “throw PPP out from Punjab" in 2013. However, he added that the party had "paid the price" itself for the "political mistake."

Earlier on Thursday, PPP Information Secretary Shazia Marri said that holding elections at the earliest was in the interest of Pakistan so that the country comes out of the present uncertainty. She said that the PPP has always backed conducting the polls within 90 days, whether in Punjab or elsewhere, according to the Dawn report. Marri said, “We do acknowledge that delimitation of constituencies after the new census is essential. But, efforts should be made not to violate other constitutional provisions for the sake of one. Or at least any such violation should be as little as possible."

She said the PPP had no objections to the delimitation of constituencies under the new census. However, it had reservations regarding the time that would be taken in the process. While responding to a question, Marri said that legal experts told the CEC participants that Pakistan President Arif Alvi did not have the power to write to the chief election commissioner or suggest any date for elections.

She said that Alvi's letter had caused confusion and added that Pakistan's President had no clear stance and was playing on both sides of the wicket, Dawn reported. On Wednesday, Pakistan President Arif Alvi in a letter to a letter to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja proposed November 6 as the date for holding national elections.