News
Sunday, August 12, 2012
General election in March 2013?LAHORE: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) have agreed on next general elections in the first quarter of the next year most likely in the second week of March.
The two parties reached on this decision after rounds of talks between the ‘negotiators’ following behind-the-door consultations. The two parties have several differences on almost every issue but after talks they were able to convince each other that instead of providing a chance to any ‘opportunist’, it would be better for them to be at the helm of affairs.
The leaders from both parties told this scribe that the only point of unification was that they would not surrender before the establishment and strengthen on the ground political forces instead of levelling the field for any ‘fortune maker’.
The negotiating teams of the two parties discussed in detail the country’s political scenario and the rumours regarding its future.
“The discussion in the media, political and bureaucratic circles about winding up of the system and installation of a Bangladesh-like set-up consisting of technocrats for some period and its repercussions was also scrutinised in the meetings,” said a source.
The two parties agreed that they were the biggest political forces of the country and stakeholders as they have maximum number of elected representatives in the assemblies. They were of the opinion that it is the legitimate right of the people to elect a government of their choice and no other person, institution or hierarchy should have the power to snatch this fundamental power from them. The two parties decided that they should work together to go to the people for next mandate. It is also learnt that the unanimous appointment of the chief election commission of the country is also a part of this understanding.
Representatives of the parties also discussed that they can carry campaign up to November, Eidul Fitr and Eidul Azha also fall in this period. Muharram will also fall in November so they decided to defer electioneering until December.
It is learnt that the two parties have agreed to slash the period of three months from the incumbent assemblies and hold elections in the second week of March 2013. For this purpose, the current legislature can be dissolved in the first week of December. The leaders are of the view that if the assemblies are not dissolved in December and given a chance to complete their tenure until March 2013 then the weather would not allow the government to hold elections on time. If the elections are announced in March then 90 days will complete in June — a month not suitable for holding elections due to weather and other reasons, including end of the financial year.
The legal experts were of the view that the assembles can only be dissolved on the advice of the leader of the House, the prime minister and the chief ministers. The solution was that a resolution can be moved in all Houses on the subject asking to pack up the system three months earlier from its scheduled time and announce next general elections. Later, the resolution will be sent to the president and he will finally announce the elections.
Former PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (ZAB) held elections earlier from its scheduled time in 1977 as the assembly assumed charge on August 14, 1973 and had to complete its tenure by August 1978, but ZAB announced to hold elections in March 1977. raja riazCourtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk