ISLAMABAD – The Finance Division has released another Rs17.4 billion to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for conduct of general elections, which are scheduled for February 8 next year.
This brings the total released amount to Rs27.4 billion as an amount of Rs10 billion was provided to the electoral body in July this year.
In a statement, Finance Division said it remains committed to provision of funds as and when required by the Election Commission of Pakistan.
A day earlier, caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs Murtaza Solangi on Monday ruled out any “crisis on meeting the financial needs of the ECP” in order to hold free, fair and transparent general elections in the country.
“The Cabinet had approved Rs 42 billion for the budgetary needs of the ECP. An amount of Rs 10 billion was already released,” the minister wrote on X formerly Twitter.
He said the Election Commission of Pakistan had approached to release Rs 17.4 billion, out of the budgeted amount. “Whatever budgeted amount is needed by the ECP, will be released as per its needs accordingly,” Solangi added.
He said the caretaker government firmly stood behind the ECP in holding free and fair elections as mandated by Article 218(3) of the Constitution.
