<\/p>\n
PPP leader Sherry Rehman has urged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to announce the polls date and clear the air of uncertainty in the country, which she said is now bothering even foreign diplomats.<\/p>\n
\u201cPresently, all of them (diplomats) want an answer to when the uncertainty will end as no one wants uncertainty in Pakistan,\u201d she said on Dawn News<\/em> programme \u2018Doosra Rukh<\/em>\u2019, which will air at 7pm tonight.<\/p>\n The former climate change minister also addressed the matter of foreign ambassadors meeting \u201cinstitutions\u201d \u2014 an apparent reference to US envoy Donald Blome\u2019s meeting<\/a> with Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja last month.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, it is unusual to meet institutions, but what do you expect when no date is being announced [for polls]?\u201d she said, adding that several matters would settle down with the mere announcement of elections date.<\/p>\n The PPP leader further said that her party\u2019s stance<\/a> on the elections\u2019 timeframe was clear \u2014 that elections should be held within the constitutionally mandated period of 90 days following the premature dissolution of the National Assembly on August 9.<\/p>\n While the PPP is the only party from the Pakistan Democratic Movement-led erstwhile ruling coalition that has been assertive in calling for not pushing the elections beyond the constitutionally mandated cutoff date of November 9, recent statements by its top leadership show signs of flexibility in this stance.<\/p>\n Earlier this week, PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said<\/a> during a meeting with other party leaders that \u201cthe general elections should be held according to the Constitution so that the democratic government can solve the problems of the people.\u201d<\/p>\n This was the first instance in recent weeks where the party called for adhering to the Constitution, without explicitly referring to the 90-day deadline.<\/p>\n Similarly, PPP Co-Chairperson and Bilawal\u2019s father Asif Ali Zardari emphasised<\/a> earlier today that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was obligated to conduct a fresh delimitation of constituencies following the notification<\/a> of new 2023 digital census results \u2014 the primary reason cited by the ECP for delaying elections beyond November.<\/p>\n The ECP bases its decision on Section 17(2) of the Elections Act, which states: \u201cThe commission shall delimit constituencies after every census is officially published.\u201d<\/p>\n Meanwhile, top lawyers\u2019 bodies have made calls for strikes<\/a>, demanding elections by November 9, as mandated under Article 224 of the Constitution.<\/p>\n Last month, President Alvi also invited<\/a> CEC Raja for a meeting to \u201cfix an appropriate date\u201d for general elections.<\/p>\n In his letter to the CEC, the president quoted Article 244 of the Constitution, saying he was duty-bound to get the elections conducted in the 90 days\u2019 prescribed period as the NA was dissolved prematurely on August 9.<\/p>\n But a recent amendment<\/a> to the Elections Act 2017 has empowered the ECP to announce the dates for polls unilaterally without having to consult the president.<\/p>\n Citing this change to the law, the CEC responded<\/a> to the president, saying that participating in a confab with him to decide the election date would be of \u201cscant importance\u201d.<\/p>\n Subsequently, the president sought the law ministry\u2019s advice on the matter, and the ministry communicated<\/a> to him that the powers to announce the poll date rested with the ECP.<\/p>\n