By Special Correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Governor, Haji Ghulam Ali has asked the Election Commission of Pakistan to take on board all the stakeholders, including political parties, before announcing a date for general elections in the KP province in view of the “alarming law and order situation”, it emerged on Wednesday.
The development comes two days after a powerful explosion ripped through a mosque in the Peshawar Police Lines area, killing more than 100 people, mostly police officials. In a letter written to the Election Commission of Pakistan chief dated January 31, the governor reminded the ECP of its constitutional binding to announce an election date while expressing worry over the recent deteriorating law and order situation in the province.
“In view of the alarming law and order situation in the province and series of terrorist attacks during the past days, it would be advisable that before fixing a date for the general elections, the ECP should consult and take into confidence the relevant institutions/LEAs as well as political parties, to ensure that conduct of general elections in a fair, free and peaceful manner in the Province is possible,” the letter addressed to Sikander Sultan Raja said.
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly was dissolved on January 18 after which Mohammad Azam Khan was took charge as the caretaker chief minister. On Jan 25, the ECP approached the authorities concerned, suggesting that elections in KP be held between April 15 and 17.
KP Governor dispells impression of delaying polls
A day earlier, Azam Khan, caretaker Chief Minister KP dispelled the impression of delaying polls because of the current law and order situation. “Terror incidents have been occurring in southern districts, including Tank, Dera Ismail Khan and Lakki Marwat, for a long time,” he said as he talked to the media after a visit to the Peshawar Police Lines on Tuesday. He added that the recent bomb blasts in different areas of the province had nothing to do with holding the elections. “The law and order situation has not been good in the region for the past 40 years,’’ Khan added.
