Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has directed the party workers to prepare for elections following the Supreme Court (SC) verdict of elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) to be held within 90 days.
The foreign minister issued the directives while chairing a meeting of PPP leaders in Lahore, where he arrived for a three-day visit.
The meeting discussed the country’s overall political situation and the Supreme Court (SC) verdict of elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) to be held within 90 days.
Speaking on the occasion, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that whether the elections are held within three months or after that, his party is always ready. He directed the party organisations and workers to prepare for the polls.
He also directed the PPP leadership to complete the listing of candidates for national and provincial assemblies elections ‘in a week’. “Candidates who are performing well should be awarded tickets”, he added.
SC issues directives for polls in Punjab, KP
Bilawal's call for his party to get electoral campaigning off the ground has set the tone for elections in the country following the SC's order to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to consult President Dr Arif Alvi to fix a date of general elections to the Punjab assembly.
On elections in KP, the verdict directs the governor announce a date for the polls after consulting the ECP.
The top court ruled that one thing that was "absolutely crucial is the timeframe" for the polls. It added that the Constitution envisages two periods for holding polls — 60 days in case the assembly is dissolved after its term is completed and 90 days in case the assembly is dissolved before the expiry of its term.
The verdict also directed the federal government to ensure that the polls are carried out as per the Constitution.
