ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday dispelled the impression the upcoming national polls in the country could further be delayed after President Arif Alvi expressed uncertainty in a recent interview that they would even be held in the last week of January.

Pakistan was constitutionally required to hold the general elections within 90 days after the National Assembly was dissolved days ahead of the expiration of its term in August. However, the ECP announced it was first going to redraw hundreds of national and provincial assembly constituencies on the basis of a digital census conducted earlier this year before organizing the polls.

In a wide-ranging interview with Geo News, the president emphasized the need for free, fair and transparent elections, though he added he did not believe the electoral contest would even take place in the beginning of the next year.

“A comment made by the respected president during an interview with a private channel about the election schedule has created an impression that the national polls may get delayed,” the ECP said in response to Alvi’s statement. “The election commission wants to dispel this impression by strongly denying that there is any possibility of an election delay.”

It added the ECP had already clarified its position on the issue by letting the public know that the first delimitation phase was over and the second phase allowing people to lodge complaints would also come to an end on October 27.

The statement said the election authorities would look into any possible objections before publishing the final list of constituencies on November 30.

“The election commission has made all preparations to hold the polls and will announce the election schedule after finalizing the delimitation process,” it said. “There is no ambiguity about it.”