ECP receives govt request to reschedule presidential elections

E-Paper | May 21, 2026

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan's Secratariat on Friday opposed the request submitted by the government seeking a re-schedule of the presidential elections, DawnNews reported.

The federal government's law ministry had written a letter to the Election Commission of Pakistan asking for change in the announced schedule for holding presidential elections in the country.

The letter had said that the announced presidential elections were falling in the last ten days of Ramzaan, when most of the lawmakers would be busy performing Umrah or sitting in Aitekaf.

The letter further said that keeping in light the engagements of the lawmakers the announced schedule should be changed.

The election commission confirmed that the letter was received from the government.

The commission's secretariat rejected the request for a change in schedule and sent its summary to Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim for the final decision over the matter.

Presidential elections would be held on Aug 6, according to the schedule announced by the ECP.

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Confused

Jul 19, 2013 04:52pm

I wonder how many candidates for presidential election will be sitting in Aitekaf? Government should come with realistic reasons.

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Shafaat

Jul 19, 2013 05:53pm

@Confused: Yes...u r right.election should not be postpone..it will be a wrong precedence .

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Hammad

Jul 19, 2013 07:51pm

This is seriously hilarious!!! Someone with a real sense of humour must have come up with this gem of an excuse. What is left to be read between the lines is that most of these (if not all) Umrah trips will be at the expense of the poor people of Pakistan. But seriously, Ramadan teaches us to discharge our duties fully and with honesty! What better time to hold this election than in the middle of this sacred month? Unless of course our lawmakers are interested in the usual horse-trading etc. which is best engaged in after Ramadan.

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Moh

Jul 19, 2013 08:32pm

@Confused: HAHA!! Topi drama as usual. It all comes down to intentions.

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ahmed

Jul 19, 2013 10:01pm

Does Pakistan need "pious politicians" who are too busy doing aitekaaf and pleasing Allah (or so they like to believe) to do their public duties?

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Ozman

Jul 19, 2013 11:48pm

@Shafaat:Confused: its not the candidate, its the lawmakers he is talking about.

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Arshad Jamil

Jul 21, 2013 02:57am

What an excuse!!! "when most of the lawmakers would be busy performing Umrah or sitting in Aitekaf." Did I hear correctly - Most on Aitekaf? Unrah, yes, being status symbol. BTW: Will those absence days from assemblies be considered Official vacation, or paid holidys? How many Umrah our lawmakers and leaders need? Don't they realize, that S. Arabia would see their lavish Umrah expenses, and then they also go there with a begging bowl. Better, Give that money for education. Just shows, that none of them had done their homework, for this and for that matter on any of the issues. They had not thought, that they needed a new President.

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