The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Saturday set into motion the process to deliberate over and finalise the schedule of the Punjab Assembly elections in light of the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) orders to hold polls immediately. In a statement, the election watchdog said Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja has summoned a high-level meeting on February 13 (Monday) at the commission’s secretariat. The meeting will review the decision of the Lahore High Court and will decide its future course of action and the implementation of the verdict for holding the general election to the provincial assembly. On Friday, the LHC ordered the ECP to immediately announce the date of elections to the Punjab Assembly after consultation with the governor, in his capacity as the constitutional head of the province, to ensure that polls were held not later than 90 days as per the mandate of the Constitution. Justice Jawad Hassan passed the order allowing petitions of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and others, seeking directions for the governor and ECP to immediately announce a date for general elections in the province, since the assembly had been dissolved.

Source: The Express Tribune February 12, 2023 11:09 UTC