PESHAWAR – The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday postponed the Senate elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa upon the request of the opposition.
While polling is underway for the elections of 30 vacant seats in the Senate from the National, Punjab and Sindh assemblies, the situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is uncertain.
The polling for the Senate elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa could not commence at the scheduled time of 9 am despite arrangements being in place and election staff being present.
Opposition members in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly had submitted a request to postpone the Senate elections.
The request to postpone the elections was submitted by opposition member Ahmed Kareem Kundi to the provincial election commissioner, stating that the oaths were not taken yet from our 25 members, therefore the election should be postponed.
The provincial election commissioner had contacted the chief election commissioner upon the opposition’s request, and Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur had also consulted with members regarding the Senate elections in the provincial assembly.
The Election Commission postponed the elections upon the opposition’s request.
The Election Commission earlier had conditioned the oath-taking of reserved members for specific seats in the Senate elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
It may be mentioned here that the opposition members in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had written a letter to the Election Commission, and requested it for oaths of 25 members for specific seats, and if the oaths were not taken, the elections should be postponed.
