ECP bound to conduct delimitation after new census: Asif Zardari

KARACHI: Former president and Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday defended the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), saying fresh delimitation has become mandatory after the new census was notified.

In a statement issued by the PPP on its social media, the party supremo said that the commission will hold elections according to the Constitution and expressed full confidence in Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Rana and all ECP members.

Zardari’s remarks came after a number of PPP leaders, including its chairman Bilawal Bhutto, demanded the ECP announce the election date, adding polls should be held in 90 days according to the Constitution.

The PPP reiterated the same when its delegation met the Election Commission members.

“The stance we adopted today is that the PPP wants the ECP to announce a new election date and the schedule for it. There is restlessness in the nation, and it is very important that a new election date and schedule is announced,” PPP’s Nayyar Bukhari said after the meeting on August 29.

Many within the political circles were surprised over the party’s change of stance considering that its members also voted in favour of census approval.

In the statement, the former president backed the Election Commission and said that the body is bound to carry out the delimitation after notification of census results.

Asif Zardari also urged the caretaker government to complete the initiatives taken under the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) — an apex body formed by the previous government to attract investments from foreigners.

“The country should be put on the path of development by completing these projects,” he added.

“The country is currently going through an economic crisis. We all should worry about the economy first instead of politics.”