In Islamabad, Caretaker Law Ministers have emphasized the importance of institutions honoring the Election Commission’s authority when it comes to the election schedule.
A consultative gathering of provincial law ministers was convened, chaired by Federal Minister for Law and Justice Ahmed Irfan Aslam. The meeting featured caretaker provincial law ministers including Kunwar Dilshad from Punjab, Muhammad Umar Soomro from Sindh, Arshad Hussain Shah from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Amanullah Kunrani from Balochistan.
The discussions at the meeting revolved around issues pertaining to the upcoming general elections for both the national and provincial assemblies.
The Federal and Provincial Caretaker Ministers of Law and Justice reached a unanimous agreement stressing the need to interpret the Constitution holistically, without isolating any of its provisions. According to the Constitution, the sole authority for conducting general elections and announcing their dates rests with the Election Commission.
Provincial Law Ministers emphasized that in order to strengthen national unity, ensure coordination among all federal units, and prevent unnecessary financial burdens on the national treasury arising from security arrangements on different election dates, it is advisable to hold general elections for the national and four provincial assemblies on the same day.
They emphasized that the Election Commission of Pakistan is an independent constitutional body, and it is the collective responsibility of all state institutions to uphold its independence and respect its authority in matters related to constituency delimitation and the determination of the election schedule.
