ISLAMABAD: The President of Pakistan, Dr. Arif Aziz Alvi, and the Election Commission of Pakistan, in the second round of discussions, agreed on appointing February 8 ‘date’ for holding general elections in the country.
Following a first round of consultative meeting between President Dr. Arif Alvi and Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has written a letter to the President and suggested holding the General Elections in 2024 on February 11.
The meeting between President Dr. Arif Alvi and the CEC-led delegation at the President’s House lasted for an hour without any immediate announcement, leading to further discussions between the ECP team and the President’s House.
President-CEC meeting
Following the President-CEC meeting, Election Commissioner chaired a consultative session attended by the ECP members, DG Law, and the legal team. Attorney General Mansoor Usman also reached ECP headquarters and attended the key meeting. After meeting the ECP officials, Attorney General Mansoor Usman revisited the President to hold talks on the final date. According to sources, President Arif Alvi wanted the general elections on January 28 while ECP wanted to hold the elections on February 11.
On today's order of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, the Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan, Mr. Sikandar Sultan Raja, along with the Attorney General for Pakistan, Mr. Mansoor Usman Awan, and four members of the Election Commission of Pakistan, came to meet pic.twitter.com/1uXi7v7Y7N
— The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) November 2, 2023
It has been revealed that the ECP intends to present the details of this crucial meeting to the top court on Friday. President Alvi’s chosen date will also be presented before the apex court.
The delegation from the ECP, which includes the ECP secretary, four provincial members, and the Director-General of Law, arrived at the President’s House after their initial consultation with the president. However, the CEC and delegation members refrained from commenting on the meeting with the president in front of the media.
Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan, Mr. Sikandar Sultan Raja, along with the Attorney General for Pakistan, Mr. Mansoor Usman Awan, and four members of the Election Commission of Pakistan, came to meet President Dr. Arif Alvi, at Aiwan-e-Sadr, Islamabad. pic.twitter.com/wsPqo5tIxl
— The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) November 2, 2023
This development comes in the wake of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) informing the Supreme Court that the general elections in the country are scheduled to be held on February 11, 2024, in line with the directives of the Supreme Court. The ECP’s lawyer, Sajeel Swati, stated that the elections would follow the completion of delimitation on November 30 and that all preparations, including delimitation, would be finalized by January 29.
The case, heard by a three-member bench led by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa and comprising Justice Aminuddin Khan and Justice Athar Minallah, involves various petitioners, including the Supreme Court Bar, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and others, who argue that the general elections in the country should be conducted within 90 days of the dissolution of the assembly as stipulated by the Constitution. The situation remains fluid as discussions and negotiations continue.
