A security guard in front of the Election Commission of Pakistan in Islamabad on September 21, 2023. Photo: AFP
PESHAWAR:
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has formally notified the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly about the arrangements for the Senate by-elections scheduled for April 23, directing all members to bring their original CNIC and Assembly membership cards while casting their votes.
In an official letter sent to the Assembly Secretariat, the ECP declared that the by-election for the vacant Senate seat will be held on April 23. The commission has directed the Secretariat to inform all MPAs that it is mandatory to present both their Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) and their Assembly member card at the time of voting. MPAs have been advised to ensure they carry both documents with them.
Meanwhile, differences have emerged within opposition parties over fielding a joint candidate for the Senate by-elections. The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) failed to reach an agreement, while the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) withdrew from the race.
Initially, the opposition parties had decided to field a consensus candidate for the vacant Senate seat. The nomination papers were filed by Maulana Abdul Haseeb of JUI-F, Raheela Bibi of PPP and Asghar of PML-N. A parliamentary committee recently interviewed the candidates and ordered the PPP candidate to withdraw her documents. However, both JUI-F and PML-N stood firm on their respective candidates and no agreement could be reached between the two parties.
