ISLAMABAD : March ,22,2023: Coming true to apprehensions , the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has postponed elections in the Punjab province fill October 8,2023.
ECP formally issued a notification to put off the elections scheduled for the Punjab on April 30 .
According to ECP notification, the elections scheduled in the Punjab for April 30 have been rescheduled for October 8,2023.
Putting the elections schedule for the Punjab for April 30 and fixing the new schedule of October 8,2023 is shocking for constitutional experts , Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) and its like-minded political parties condemn ECP decision.
ECP has made the briefing of the law enforcing agencies a base for putting the scheduled elections in the Punjab on hold.
ECP had announced scheduled for April ,30 and PTI was taking its credit . Although there are vast degree of doubts and these were being expressed at various forums .
All of a sudden , ECP has put on hold schedule of elections in the Punjabfor around six months .
Legal and constitutional experts appeared shocked over ECP decision of delaying the elections in the Punjab for around six months.
Pakistan People Party (PPP) senior leader , Chaudhary Itzaz Ahsan termed ECP decision of delaying elections in Punjab for six months as unconstitutional.
Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) , Fawad Chaudhary, sharply reacted over delay in holding elections in Punjab for six months as unlawful and unconstitutional . Chaudhary Aitzaz Ahsan commented that by delaying elections in Punjab beyond constitutional limit of 90 days is shocking and an indication that Shahbaz Sharif government wanted to put off elections in Punjab for six months. .
Scrapping of scheduled elections in the Punjab is going to open up a new constitutional crisis in Pakistan.
.PTI and other like-minded political party may challenge ECP’s decision of delaying elections in the Punjab in the Supreme Court .
