PTI rejects postponement of Punjab by-elections

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has rejected the decision of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to postpone the general elections in Punjab, with party’s senior vice president Fawad Chaudhry questioning under which constitutional provision the commission had changed the date, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

Talking exclusively to ARY News, Fawad Chaudhry lambasted ECP for ‘violating the constitution’, saying that Chief Election Commission (CEC) Sikandar Raja Sultan and other members have committed Article 6.

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He further said that his party would soon announce a new ‘plan of action’, terming the decision attack on constitution. The PTI leader rejected the electoral watchdog’s move, urging the judiciary to ‘protect the Constitution’.

Earlier in the day, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday announced to delay of the Punjab by-elections which were scheduled to be held on April 30.

The ECP withdrew the Punjab Election Program notification issued on March 8 and decided to postpone the Punjab election and announced October 08 as the new date for elections in Punjab.

The ECP spokesman said that the president Dr Arif Alvi also been informed about the postponement of elections in Punjab, adding that the new election schedule will release soon.

It is pertinent to mention here that President Arif Alvi on Friday announced April 30 as the date for elections in Punjab.

The announcement from President Alvi comes minutes after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) proposed dates for the election in the province in light of the Supreme Court (SC) verdict.

“President Dr Arif Alvi has announced to hold general elections of Punjab Assembly on April 30, Sunday,” tweeted the President’s office.

“The decision was made by the president after considering the dates proposed by the Election Commission of Pakistan,” it added.