ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will release the schedule for the upcoming national polls in December, confirmed its top official on Friday, amid speculations of a possible delay in the electoral exercise despite the release of the final list of constituencies earlier in the day.
The ECP announced last month the vote, originally expected in November and then scheduled for the last week of January, would instead take place on Feb. 8, a date chosen following consultations with the country’s President Dr. Arif Alvi that were requested by the Supreme Court.
Pakistan’s parliament was dissolved by the president on then Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s advice on Aug. 9, setting the stage for a national election amid political and economic crises. A caretaker administration subsequently took over with the constitutional mandate to hold new elections in 90 days.
According to Pakistan’s Geo News, Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja had a brief and informal chat with journalists after the ECP released the list of national and provincial constituencies for the national polls.
Asked about when the commission planned to release the election scheduled, he said: “Count 54 days backwards from February 8,” suggesting that the announcement could be expected in the third week of December.
Pakistan’s previous administration amended the Elections Act to empower the ECP to fix and announce the election date and specifying the timeline for the announcement of the election schedule which needs to be done about 54 days before the polling day.
The election commissioner also dismissed fears of any further delays in the national polls, saying the ECP had been “proactively handling election-related responsibilities” to ensure fair and transparent electoral contest in the country.
Pakistan’s election regulator to announce national poll schedule in December, dismisses rumors of delay
https://arab.news/n5f2a
Pakistan’s election regulator to announce national poll schedule in December, dismisses rumors of delay
- The ECP has already published the final list of national and provincial constituencies ahead of the polls
- The Feb. 8 elections were originally meant to take place in November and were rescheduled for Jan.
Met Office forecasts ‘widespread’ rain, snowfall in parts of Pakistan
- Heavy snowfall may cause road closures, while there is a possibility of landslides and avalanche in hilly areas
- Tourists are advised to remain extra cautious, avoid unnecessary travel during forecast period, Met Office says
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast “widespread” rain and snowfall in northern parts of the country in the coming days, saying that a shallow westerly wave was likely to reach the upper regions on Friday.
The weather system is likely to strengthen from Jan. 20 and grip most parts of the country from Jan. 21, bringing rain, thunderstorm and snowfall to several areas, according to a PMD advisory. Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Kashmir, upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Murree and Galliyat will experience rain/thunderstorm with light to moderate snowfalls Jan. 16 till Jan. 20, with occasional gaps.
Widespread rain/thunderstorm is expected in these areas along with Islamabad, and Punjab’s Sargodha, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sahiwal, Multan, Faisalabad, Dera Ghazi Khan and Bahawalpur divisions, as well as KP’s Peshawar, Hazara, Malakand, Mardan, Kohat, Bannu, and Dera Ismail Khan districts on Jan. 20-23.
“Heavy snowfall is expected [in] Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kalam, Shangla, Kohistan, Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Murree, Galliyat, Neelum Valley, Bagh, Haveli, Rawalakot from 20th (night) to 23rd January with occasional gaps,” the PMD said.
Similarly, rain/thunderstorm is expected in Balochistan’s Quetta, Ziarat, Chaman, Pishin, Killa Abdullah, Killa Saifullah, Nushki, Harnai, Zhob, Kalat, Barkhan, Sibi, Loralai, Musakhel, Turbat, Gawadar, Jiwani, Lasbella, Kech, Awaran, Chaghi, Panjgur, Khuzdar, Washuk and Kharan districts on Jan. 21-22.
Karachi, Hyderabad, Dadu, Jacobabad, Naushero Feroz, Kashmore, Larkana, Shaheed Benazirbad, Mirpurkhas and Ghotki in Sindh are likely to receive rain with occasional gaps on Jan. 22-23.
“Moderate to heavy snowfall in (Quetta, Ziarat, Chaman, Pishin, Qilla Abdullah, Qilla Saifullah, Noushki, Harnai, Zhob) during the period,” the PMD said.
Heavy snowfall may cause road closures and slippery conditions in Naran, Kaghan, Dir, Swat, Kalam, Chitral, Kohistan, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Shangla, Astore, Hunza, Skardu, Murree, Galliyat, Neelum valley, Bagh, Poonch, Haveli, Quetta, Ziarat, Chaman, Pishin, Killa Abdullah, Killa Saifullah, Nushki, Harnai and Zhob, according to the PMD.
There is a possibility of landslides and avalanche in hilly areas of upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir during this period.
“Tourists are advised to remain extra cautious and avoid unnecessary traveling during the forecast period,” it said.
“Fog condition is likely to diminish in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and upper Sindh during the wet spell. Day time temperatures are likely to drop significantly during the period.”
