ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will start consultations with mainstream political parties on devising a roadmap to the general elections from Thursday (today).

Informed sources told Dawn that letters have been sent to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Fazlur Rehman, inviting them to attend the separately convened meetings in person, or through their authorised representatives.

The first meeting with JUI-F is scheduled to take place on Thursday, followed by another with PTI hours later.

The JUI-F also announced that its delegation, led by the party’s secretary general, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, will hold a meeting with the ECP on Thursday. The delegation will include Senator Kamran Murtaza, Jalaluddin Advocate and Maulana Ataullah Haq Darwesh.

The meeting with the PML-N is scheduled for Friday (Aug 25) and with PPP on Aug 29. Consultations on the roadmap to the polls will revolve around delimitation of constituencies, update of electoral rolls, poll schedule and conduct of general elections.

Identical letters written to political parties, copies of which are available with Dawn, point out that the ECP was charged with the constitutional duty of organising and holding elections in terms of Article 218 (3) of the Constitution and to make such arrangements as were necessary to ensure that the election as conducted honestly, justly, fairly and in accordance with the law and that corrupt practices are guarded against.

“Keeping in view the current political scenario, the Election Commission has decided to take on board and invite your party to discuss the electoral road map with your feedback on delimitation of constituencies, updation of electoral rolls, conduct of general elections, schedule of election and other related matters,” the letter read.

“You are requested to make it convenient to attend this important meeting in person or through authorized representatives with the Election Commission….,” the letters stated.

Informed sources said some more political parties including the MQM. ANP and Jamaat-i-Islami were also likely to be consulted.

In a related development, the PML-N has formed a seven-member team for consultation with the ECP on the roadmap to general elections.

According to party’s information secretary and former information minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, the team will include PML-N Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal, Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar, Zahid Hamid, Rana Sanaullah, Khawaja Saad Rafiq, Amir Muqam and Attaullah Tarar.

Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2023