UPDATES WITH REVISED ELECTION DATE AFTER PRESIDENT AND ELECTION COMMISSION MEETING; CHANGES HEADER, LEDE AND DECK
By Aamir Latif
KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) – Pakistan's President Arif Alvi on Thursday announced that the general elections will be held on Feb. 8 next year.
The much-awaited schedule, welcomed by several political parties, was announced by Alvi after consultation with the country's top electoral body, said a statement from the President’s Office.
Earlier in the day, the counsel of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in the Supreme Court had proposed Feb. 11 as the election date during the hearing of multiple petitions seeking an election date.
A three-judge Supreme Court bench, led by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, which heard the petitions, however, asked the ECP to announce the poll date after consulting the president.
"After a detailed discussion, the meeting (between the president and ECP members) unanimously agreed to hold general elections in the country on 8th February 2024," the statement added.
Earlier, the ECP had announced that the national vote would be held in the last week of January.
The elections, otherwise, were due in November following the completion of a five-year term of the outgoing National Assembly in August.
According to the Constitution, the election must be held within 90 days after the expiry of the Parliament's term.
The ECP's counsel told the apex court that the process of drawing new constituencies will be completed by Jan. 29, clearing the way for polls.