The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced that elections will be conducted before October 11 if the National Assembly’s term ends on August 12.
During a press conference, Zafar Iqbal, the Special Secretary with Secretary Omar Hamid Khan, confirmed that the ECP is fully prepared for the upcoming elections. The boundaries have been redrawn based on the 2017 census, which will serve as the basis for the elections.
The ECP has also taken steps to ensure the safety and security of the elections. This includes hiring security personnel and acquiring watermarked paper to maintain the integrity of the voting process. Additionally, the ECP has started liaising with various institutions to facilitate smooth elections.
Election Personnel Deployment
In line with the pre-election preparations, the ECP has approached the judiciary to deploy district returning officers and returning officers. Applications for such officers have been forwarded to the registrars of the high courts in Islamabad, Peshawar, and Sindh. Follow-up letters have been sent to the high courts of Peshawar and Punjab, as the request had been previously made to these institutions.
Zafar Iqbal assured that the elections would comply with the new electoral reforms. He stated, “The new electoral reforms will hold elections.”
Amendments to the 2017 Election Act
Parliament has recently enacted changes to the 2017 Election Act that have altered the electoral process. Interim President Sadiq Sanjarani authorized the bill, while Senate Chairman Sanjrani signed the summary as acting president during President Arif Alvi’s Hajj pilgrimage. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif conveyed the summary.
These amendments limit the disqualification duration of a parliamentarian to a maximum of five years, thus paving the way for those permanently disqualified from standing for public office to run again. Furthermore, the Election Commission of Pakistan now has the authority to independently declare the election date, bypassing the need for presidential approval.
The new law also allows the election commission to modify the election schedule post the announcement of the date, provided it is done “in writing”. The changes aim to streamline the electoral process and ensure that the upcoming elections are smooth, fair, and transparent.
 is set to conduct national elections before October 11, following the new electoral reforms and the expiration of the National Assembly's term. Discover how the ECP is ensuring a smooth and transparent electoral process){kind=link}