President of Pakistan Mr. Arif Alvi and Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Mr. Sikandar Sultan Raja reached a consensus that the upcoming general elections in Pakistan will take place on February 8, 2024.
This decision followed a meeting at the President’s Secretariat, where a delegation from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), led by CEC Sikandar Raja and accompanied by Attorney General for Pakistan Mr. Mansoor Usman Awan, discussed the election date with President Arif Alvi.
According to details, Mr. Sikandar Sultan Raja, the Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan, along with Mansoor Usman Awan, the Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP), and four members of the Election Commission of Pakistan, convened with President Arif Alvi at the President’s House. This gathering took place following the directive from the Supreme Court of Pakistan instructing the commission to seek the president’s input on the election date.
Following the crucial meeting, the President of Pakistan shared an update on X (Twitter), stating, “During the discussion, we deliberated on the date for the upcoming general elections in the country. After thorough consideration, the participants unanimously decided to conduct the general elections on February 8, 2024”.
After the completion of the delimitation process, the general elections in Pakistan are scheduled to take place. Mr. Sajeel Swati, the counsel for the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), mentioned that the constituency segregation process would be finalized by January 29, clearing the path for the polls.
A significant development in Pakistan’s political landscape unfolded as the Supreme Court of Pakistan commenced hearings on a series of petitions advocating for elections to be conducted within 90 days following the dissolution of the National Assembly and provincial legislatures. President Arif Alvi dissolved the National Assembly on August 9, this year.
Contrary to the 90-day deadline, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) opted against holding elections within the specified timeframe due to the Council of Common Interest (CCI) approving the 7th Population and Housing Census 2023. Consequently, elections are now scheduled to take place after the conclusion of the delimitation process, incorporating fresh boundaries/constituencies based on the census results.
The Election Commission of Pakistan’s statement in the Supreme Court appears to have brought clarity to the prolonged uncertainty surrounding the upcoming polls. Initially ruling out elections this year due to the necessity for a fresh delimitation of constituencies, the commission had, last month, announced that elections would be held in January 2024, without specifying any date.
With the National Assembly dissolved just three days before the end of its constitutional term, Article 224 of the Constitution stipulates that elections must be conducted within 90 days of the assembly’s dissolution, setting the deadline for November 7.
However, Section 17(2) of the Elections Act mandates the commission to delimit constituencies after each officially published census. When then Prime Minister Mr. Shehbaz Sharif’s government dissolved the assembly, speculations arose about potential delays in the general elections, but the government refuted these claims, asserting that holding elections based on the latest census is a constitutional requirement.
President Alvi initially proposed a November 6 election date in a letter to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja on September 13. However, the Ministry of Law and Justice clarified that the authority to announce the poll date lay with the ECP, not the president.
During the case hearing, Justice Athar Minallah questioned the timing of the president’s letter to the ECP, while the chief justice remarked on the letter’s vagueness. Emphasizing that holding elections was not a problem, the Chief Justice noted that the recent announcements by the President and the Election Commission align with the start of negotiations between Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the release of the second tranche of a $3 billion loan. This loan aims to stabilize Pakistan’s debt-ridden economy, and while the IMF has not explicitly tied the election date to any conditions, the clarity on the schedule will likely enhance the Ministry of Finance’s position in the discussions with the IMF.
Previously, by the directive from the Apex Court, the ECP penned a letter to President Arif Alvi, suggesting February 11, 2024, as the designated date for the upcoming general elections. The letter conveyed, “We anticipate the resolution of the issue regarding the selection of a date for conducting general elections, and we will explain to the Court this tomorrow, i.e., on November 3, 2023”. It further stated, “To obey the instructions outlined in the aforementioned order of the Apex Court, the Commission, following careful consideration, hereby recommends the appointment of February 11, 2024, as the polling date for the general election to the National and Provincial Assemblies”.
Political Parties Reaction to the Announcement
The major political parties in Pakistan, including the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), have expressed their approval of the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) announcement regarding the scheduled elections on February 08, 2024.
Nayyer Bukhari from the PPP welcomed the announcement, emphasizing his party’s consistent advocacy for timely elections. He stressed that unelected individuals or cabinets lack the right to govern the country, emphasizing the constitutional mandate for elections within 90 days.
Ayaz Sadiq, a senior leader from PML-N, viewed the announcement as a positive development, acknowledging the initiation of the election process. However, he emphasized that determining the election date falls within the ECP’s jurisdiction.
PTI’s lawyer, Barrister Ali Zafar, characterized the Supreme Court proceedings as historic, ending the ambiguity surrounding the polls. He highlighted the court’s clarification that elections should occur within 90 days of assembly dissolution.
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