ISLAMABAD: Promis­ing to hold free and fair elections, the Election Com­­­mission if Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday said it will suitably amend the code of conduct for the upcoming general polls.

During a consultative session with representatives of political parties on code of conduct, Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja said the code would be strictly implemented.

According to participants, the CEC assured the elections would take place in the last week of January, as earlier announced, in any case.

A brief statement was issued after the meeting that the consultative session was held under section 233 of the Elections Act, 2017 on the draft of the code of conduct for the upcoming general election in the country.

“The Election Commission deliberated on the proposals shared by the political parties and assured them that suitable proposals would be incorporated in the final code of conduct,” it says.

While talking to reporters, PPP Secretary General Syed Nayyar Bukhari later emphasised that the executive has constitutional responsibility to assist the ECP in the holding of free, fair and transparent elections. He said the electoral body assured them that the general election would be held in a free, fair and transparent manner and “on time”.

PTI Senator Barrister Syed Ali Zafar said they had also given their suggestions to the ECP on the proposed code of conduct. “The Election Commission has taken note of our suggestions. We also raised the issue of level playing field with the commission with reference to all political parties and especially Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf,” he maintained. He said that the ECP assured PTI of remedy.

Awami National Party leaders Mian Iftikhar Hussain and Mohammad Zahid Khan demanded that the election date be given, as there still were doubts.

Implementation of laws, the ANP emphasised, had to be ensured to conduct free and fair elections and that the commission said they would hold the elections on time. The party insisted that implementation of code of conduct was ECP’s responsibility.

Jamaat-i-Islami leader Fareed Paracha said his party wanted that the ECP finalise delimitation soon and that the election be held in December.

Zia-ur-Rehman Babar of Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan urged the ECP to ensure that ministers, senators and Senate chairman do not influence the elections.

The PTI later also shared a 25-point charter of demands presented to the ECP by its three-member team comprising Barrister Ali Zafar, Babar Awan and Ali Gohar.

The PTI in its charter of demands pointed out that conduct of general elections within 90 days after the dissolution of the assembly was a constitutional requirement.

Published in Dawn, October 12th, 2023