Achakzai writes letter to ECP to postpone Presidential election

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Sunni Ittehad Council’s (SIC) candidate Mehmood Khan Achakzai demanded the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to postpone the Presidential elections scheduled tomorrow (Saturday, on March 9).

According to local news channel report, Mahmood Khan Achakzai sent a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja to postpone the Presidential election.

Achakzai made a ground of incomplete electoral college and argued in the letter that the electoral college is not complete so the Presidential election should be postponed.

The ECP is set to hold an election for the office of President of Pakistan on tomorrow (Saturday), during the joint session of the parliament from 10am to 4pm.

During electoral event, PPP co-chairman Asif Zardari will face Mahmood Khan Achakzai, chairman of the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), who was nominated as presidential candidate by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).

The president will be elected via secret ballot in a special session of the parliament, Senate, and all four provincial assemblies under Article 41(3) of the Constitution, after the formation of the Electoral College.

The Electoral College of 692 votes includes 96 senators, 336 Members of the National Assembly (MNAs), and 260 votes from the four provincial assemblies.

According to the Second Schedule, the candidate obtaining the largest number of votes would be declared winner by the chief election commissioner (CEC) while the federal government will declare the results of the presidential election via a public notification.

Article 41(4) of the Constitution says that “election to the office of president shall be held not earlier than sixty days and not later than thirty days before the expiration of the term of the president in office: Provided that, if the election cannot be held within the period aforesaid because the National Assembly is dissolved, it shall be held within thirty days of the general election to the Assembly”.

Polling process will be held tomorrow in all four assemblies for presidential elections from 10am and will continue till 4pm sharp.