The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has decided to consult all major political parties, including the PTI, about upcoming general elections and its date. The elections are expected early next year. Sources said the ECP would consult all political parties separately regarding the elections schedule and its date. During the consultation, the electoral watchdog will also talk about a road map of the upcoming general elections. Similarly, the commission will also consult over the issues of constituencies' delimitations and voter lists as well. The process of consulting the political parties will be initiated in next few days, sources added. The said the PML-N, the PPP, the PTI, the MQM, the JI, the ANP, the JUIF and all other major political parties will be taken onboard.

Meanwhile the mock exercise of the new Result Compilation System (RCS) has also been conducted which satisfied the ECP. Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja presided over a meeting of the commission in which a briefing on the RCS was given. During a briefing it was stated that the RCS allows the presiding officer to forward the results right away to returning officer via an app. Similarly, the ROs will also be equipped to compile inconclusive results with the help of RCS. According to the election authority's Media Coordination and Outreach Wing,

The regular mock exercises of RCS had been performed and its entire steps were inspected. In recent years, the commission has come up with some systems in relation to dealing with election results, which include result transmission and management systems. Moreover, the ECP revised the task pertaining to the National Assembly constituencies delimitation and four provincial assemblies following the first-ever digital census in 2023. Accordingly, the commission forwarded essential communications to the provincial governments and the statistics department as well.

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Tuesday reiterated that the interim government would ensure holding of the upcoming general elections in the most transparent and impartial manner, accepted to all. Talking to media after visiting Mazar-e-Quaid to pay tribute and offer Fateha, the prime minister said that the caretaker government would function in the limited time frame only to ensure the election process. They would play their part in this regard by holding transparent and impartial polls, so that Pakistan could move through its constitutional transitional period, he added. On the occasion, the prime minister was accompanied by Governor Sindh Kamran Khan Tissori, Caretaker Chief Minister Justice (Retired) Maqbool Baqir and the members of his cabinet. It was the maiden visit of the caretaker prime minister to Karachi after assuming his office. The prime minister said that he along with his few cabinet members came here to pay homage to Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and reaffirm to work for the progress and prosperity of the country by highlighting the social contract under which a separate state came into being.

Referring to an address of the founder of the nation on August 11, 1947 before the Constituent Assembly, he said it focused on rights of the minorities and equality among individuals. Prime Minister Kakar expressed the optimism that the people of the country would excel in different fields on the basis of their talents and it was the future of the country. Earlier, the prime minister laid a floral wreath at the grave of the founder of the nation and offered Fateha. He also penned down his expressions in the visitors’ book.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)