KP governor proposes elections across country on same day

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Governor Haji Ghulam Ali has proposed the political parties to mull over conducting elections across the country on the same day, ARY News reported on Monday.

While talking to the journalists in Peshawar today, KP Governor Haji Ghulam Ali said that he held a meeting with the chief secretary and Inspector General (IG) KP regarding the elections. He added that he will also meet the chief election commissioner (CEC) on Tuesday or Wednesday.

He vowed that they will pave way for organising fair and free elections in light of the decision of the Supreme Court (SC).

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Governor Ali urged the political parties to mull over the option of conducting elections across the country on the same day. He also asked the political parties to bring down the political temperature by promoting tolerance, traditions and politeness.

He said that the election commissioner will announce the date of the polls as per the SC’s order. He expressed hopes to resolve the issues related to the elections with consensus.

The governor said that Punjab province is going through political turmoil, whereas, the law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is not good. He added that political tension on the basis of an arrest warrant was not good for the country.

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He added that elections will ascertain the popularity level of every political leader. He said that the provincial government conditionally agreed on conducting the polls. To a question, he replied that his ties with the chief minister are good and they met on multiple occasions.

Earlier in the month, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja said on Tuesday that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is bound to follow Supreme Court’s (SC) orders to hold Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) elections.

The CEC said that security concerns were also shown in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said that Article 218 mentions the organisation of peaceful and transparent elections. It is necessary to hold elections in a peaceful environment, he added.

“The ECP is bound to follow SC orders for holding elections for both provincial assemblies. On the occasion of the National Assembly (NA) polls, elected governments will exist in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.”