Islamabad, Dec 31, IRNA, Election Commission will take a final decision today as regards to the holding of general elections in the country.
It is likely that the polling would be held in the 2nd week of March, as the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice Qazi Muhammad Faruque is expected to announce the postponement of the elections for national and provincial assemblies, following today’s scheduled meeting. Nomination papers would not be called for again in connection with the elections and the polling date only would be rescheduled in March.
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leaders had announced 40 days of mourning, following the death of the PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto, which would end on February 10. On the other hand, Muharramul Haram is beginning January 11 and the Chehlum of Shuhda-e-Karbala would fall on February 22.
Besides by this time, the snowfall and cold wave in the Galyat would grow weaker, while the polling was likely to be held in the 2nd week of March.
CEC said that the law and order situation in Sindh was bad, as the Election Commission offices, the ballot boxes over there and the voting scanners have been torched at the nine districts of Sindh-Sukkur, Jamshoro, Nausheroferoze, Qambar Shahdadkot, Thatta, Ghotki, Jacobabad, Badin and Dadu.
Besides, the process of training of the polling staff at these places has also been badly affected.