By-pollswillbe held if Punjab, KP assemblies dissolved: ECP

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said on Monday that by-elections would be held if the provincial assemblies were dissolved.

“If a provincial assembly is dissolved, there will be by-elections on the seats of that assembly,” said the ECP spokesperson.

“The by-elections will be held within 60 days. About Rs500 to Rs700 million will be spent for by-election in a provincial constituency,” he added.

“It is difficult to conduct by-elections and general elections in the same year, but we are bound by law,” he stated. “The delimitation of constituencies and local bodies’ elections were also a difficult task that we did,” he averred.

“Even if it is difficult, elections will be held according to the law,” he vowed. “At least Rs22.5 billion will be spent on the re-election of the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies. Ater the dissolution of both the assemblies, by-elections will be held in 411 constituencies,” he added.

It is to be noted that Pakistan Tehrik-e-insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan had announced dissolving the provincial assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Meanwhile, former president and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader President Asif Ali Zardari sprang into action to deal with changing political developments. Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar held consultations with him. They discussed Imran Khan’s announcement of quiting the two provincial assemblies.

A meeting of heads of the coalition parties would be held next week to devise an action plan. Zardari has already decided to stay in Lahore as the coalition government is planning to get back the Punjab government while constitutional options are also under consideration to stop the PTI from dissolving the assembly.

On the other hand, Punjab Chief Minister Pervez Elahi has said that he will not take a minute to dissolve the Punjab Assembly if Imran Khan asks for it. “We are highly respectable and courteous people and whosoever we support we do not desert him,” he claimed.

In a video statement, he said whenever they tendered resignations the 27km government of Shahbaz Sharif would not be able to last for 27 hours.