With the February 8 general election just a little over a month away, the upper house of Parliament on Friday passed a resolution seeking to delay the polls due to security concerns.
The caretaker government and the PML-N opposed the resolution, which was moved by independent Senator Dilawar Khan.
As he read the resolution out loud, Dilawar said the Constitution upheld the right to vote for every citizen of Pakistan and the Election Commission of Pakistan was bound to conduct free and fair polls in contingent upon inclusivity and ensuring the participation of all regional people.
“The vote turnout in colder areas remains notably high during the moderate weather conditions. January and February are recognised as the coldest months in the majority of the areas in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” he said.
Dilawar noted that various political parties had expressed their reservations regarding difficulties in ensuring participation in cold areas during the electoral process.
He expressed “great concern” on the recent attempts on the lives of JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman, former lawmaker Mohsin Dawar, and other political figures.
“The Ministry of Interior has conveyed serious threats to the lives of prominent politicians increasing the challenges faced by political parties in exercising their right to a free and fair election,” Dilawar said.
He further highlighted that there had been a spike in attacks on security forces and citizens, particularly in KP and Balochistan. “The intelligence agencies have warned of militant attacks threats on election rallies in both provinces.”
This is a developing story that is being updated as the situation evolves. Initial reports in the media can sometimes be inaccurate. We will strive to ensure timeliness and accuracy by relying on credible sources, such as concerned, qualified authorities and our staff reporters.
from The Dawn News - Home https://ift.tt/4nqumY1
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