As the 90-day deadline stipulated by the Constitution for holding general elections comes closer, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday was informed that security threats persist in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) due to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan's (TTP) presence in the province, revealed well-placed sources.
A meeting was held at the ECP headquarters in Islamabad chaired by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja in which the poll organising authority was given a briefing by the chiefs security agencies regarding the latest law and order situation in KP and Punjab, the sources told Geo News.
The meeting was summoned by the Election Commission regarding the preparation for polls in the two provinces in line with the order of the Supreme Court.
"There are many security concerns in the KP as the TTP is highly active in the province at the moment," the sources quoted the officials as saying.
Later, in a brief statement, the ECP said the purpose of the meeting was to ensure the holding of polls in a peaceful manner.
The commission is meeting the stakeholders in compliance with the apex court orders to hold polls within 90 days of the assemblies’ dissolution.
The elections in Punjab are scheduled to be held on April 30 while the date for KP polls is yet to be finalised.
Both the houses were dissolved in mid-January on the direction of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan to pressure the government for snap elections.
In a similar briefing by the secretaries of the interior and finance ministries, a day earlier, the election organising authority was informed of certain factors causing difficulties to extend security and funds for elections.
The finance and interior secretaries were called to the meeting to ensure the provision of funds and security for the elections.
The ECP told Finance Secretary Hamed Yaqoob Sheikh that it would require at least Rs65 billion to hold the general election across the country. Out of this, Rs20 billion would urgently be needed for polls in Punjab and KP.
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