Another ‘controversial’ resolution was submitted to the Senate Secretariat on Friday seeking a three-month delay in the general elections, scheduled for February 8, due to the volatile security situation in the country. In dependent Senator Hidayat Ullah submitted the resolution that urged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the Supreme Court to delay general elections for 90 days owing to current security challenges and to ensure peaceful conduct of polls. Senator Hidayat belonging to formerly Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) represents an independent parliamentary group, in the upper house, led by Senator Dilawar Khan.
The attacks on contesting candidates during the election campaigns (KP) were mentioned as one of the key reasons seeking delay. The resolution said that an increase in terrorist attacks in the country, specifically in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, had led to the death of a candidate and another elderly politician being injured. It further said that threatening pamphlets were being sent to candidates’ homes and election offices. The upper house of parliament recognizes that holding general elections is a constitutional duty, reads the resolution.
