Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's reply to JUI-F accusations
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PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, speaking on Friday, emphasized the need for elections to be held "as soon as possible" while adhering to the constitutional requirement of a 90-day timeframe. However, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has ruled out the possibility of elections occurring this year. The constitutionally mandated 90-day period for holding elections following the dissolution of the National Assembly (NA), as specified in Article 224 of the Constitution, is set to conclude on November 9. The ECP's rationale for postponing elections beyond this date is rooted in the notification of results from the new digital 2023 census and Section 17(2) of the Elections Act, which states that constituency delimitation should occur after the publication of every census.
Addressing the media in Karachi, the former foreign minister highlighted the pressing issues faced by the country's citizens at the moment: inflation, unemployment, and poverty. Bilawal asserted that the PPP's focus was not on political adversaries but on combating these socioeconomic challenges. He underscored the PPP's history of assisting the underprivileged and its commitment to people-centric politics and governance.
Bilawal further emphasized the PPP's position that elections should be conducted promptly, in accordance with the Constitution's 90-day limit, to enable the party to serve the nation and alleviate the prevailing economic hardships.
During the media interaction, Bilawal was asked about recent remarks by Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the emir of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and former head of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) ruling coalition. Maulana Fazlur Rehman had claimed that general elections could have taken place by now if the PPP had not reneged on its commitment. Bilawal responded by acknowledging Maulana Fazlur Rehman's status as a senior politician and refrained from delving too deeply into the specifics of the statement.
However, Bilawal reiterated the PPP's readiness for elections, expressing the party's willingness to participate in elections within various timelines, including May 14 and 60 days, in accordance with the Constitution. He also noted the differing interpretations of the Constitution between the PPP, the PDM, and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The PPP firmly maintained its stance that elections should occur within the constitutionally mandated 90-day period, while others believed they should take place following the completion of the delimitation process.
