PML-N Senator Ishaq Dar on Friday asserted that the demand for holding generals elections within 90 days of the National Assembly’s dissolution was “unconstitutional” after the approval of the census.
A discussion was held on the date for the general elections during Friday’s Senate session.
Dar acknowledged the Constitution stated that polls should be held within the 90-day timeframe but also said that “other articles also need to be considered”.
The PML-N leader said that the CCI had approved the census results with consensus in August and said that this fact also needed to be kept in mind.
“It is unconstitutional to demand elections within 90 days when we consider that this constitutional body [CCI] representing the federation and provinces had approved the census.
“Once the CCI finalised the census and approved it, then the Constitution is clear that the ECP has no choice but to conduct delimitation,” the PML-N leader said.
Dar went on to say he would not go into the details of “how, where and when” delimitation was conducted, noting that each party had its own issues with the process.
The former finance minister then went on to highlight that conducting elections was also linked with funding and budgetary issues.
He said he had negotiated with the ECP to bring down the amount of funds needed for polls while the country was facing a liquidity crunch during ongoing talks with the International Monetary Fund.
