Achakzai asks electoral body to delay presidential election
In a leter to Chief Election Commissioner, Achakzai says that the electoral college prescribed for the election of the president under the law and Constitution is ‘incomplete’
Mehmood Khan Achakzai — the Sunni Itehad Council (SIC) backed presidential candidate — on Friday asked the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to postpone the election.
In a leter to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), Achakzai said that electoral college for a presidential election was “incomplete.”
“As yet no one was elected on the reserved seats and without nominations and proper election on these seats, if the presidential election is conducted as per the schedule that would be denial of their votes, which otherwise is against the fundamental rights, law and Constitution,” stated the leter.
“Under the above circumstances, it is submitted that the proposed election to the office of the President of Pakistan is clearly impossible, therefore the same may kindly be postponed or delayed till completion of electoral college accordingly in the best interest of justice, fair play and equity.”
Achakzai said that the Sunni Itehad Council has already filed a petition in the court regarding reserved seats and an injunctive order has been issued. He added that till the seats are not fulfilled the presidential polls would be “illegal, unlawful and against the spirit of Constitution.”
Achakzai’s leter comes a day before the election is set to be held across the five assemblies.
Polling is scheduled to take place from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on March 9 at Parliament House in Islamabad and the provincial Assembly buildings in Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and Queta.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) supremo Asif Ali Zardari, who has been sponsored by six allied parties of the federal ruling coalition, is likely to comfortably win the presidential election scheduled to be held on Saturday.
The Senate, National Assembly, and the four provincial assemblies will serve as the electoral college for the presidential election.
The Mutahida Qaumi Movement-pakistan (MQM-P) has finally announced that it will vote for Zardari, who will face Achakzai, the chief of the Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PKMAP), who has been fielded mainly by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-insaf (PTI) whose lawmakers have associated themselves with the Sunni Itehad Council.
The MQM-P said that PPP chairman Bilawal Bhuto Zardari has met them and they have decided to support Zardari in the presidential election. With the announcement of MQM-P, it will be more easy sailing for Zardari against Achakzai.
MQM-P Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said: “We will support Zardari; democratic forces should continue to hold dialogue despite their differences.”
Bilawal said he was born in Karachi and knew the MQM.
“We will solve the problems of Karachi together,” he said, adding that the government that is going to be formed will focus on Karachi.
“We will be the voice of Karachi at the federal, provincial and local level.”
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif said that the result of presidential elections on March 9 would also be a reflection of the overwhelming mandate given to allied parties in the February general election.
“The nation has given us the majority in the National Assembly and three provincial assemblies along with the majority in the Senate, which will also be reflected in the presidential elections,” he said while addressing a dinner he hosted in honour of parliamentarians belonging to allied parties.
The event was arranged as a part of the campaign for Zardari as presidential candidate of six allies of the government.
“We are in the majority but it does not mean that we should not ask for votes from respected parliamentarians,” the premier said.
The president is elected by an electoral college comprising members of the Senate, National Assembly and the four provincial assemblies.
President Arif Alvi on Friday was given a farewell guard of honour at Aiwan-e-sadr on the completion of his constitutional term.
The president was escorted to the salute dais who, ater the national anthem, reviewed the guard of honour presented by the smartly turned out contingents of the armed forces.