Islamabad, Jan 1, IRNA , Pakistan Election Commission would make final decision on Wednesday whether or not to delay the parliamentary elections after consulting political parties, a senior election official said.
Former Prime Benazir Bhutto’s assassination in a suicide attack on Thursday has sparked violence and created doubt if the elections would be possible on January 8 as had been earlier planned.
The Election Commission says that election offices were burnt in 10 districts of southern Sindh and they are not able to make arrangements for polls in the affected areas in a few days.
The chief of Pakistan election commission was set to make an announcement on Tuesday on the delay but deferred the decision for one day to consult political parties.
“The political parties may be consulted and the poll date will be decided after consultations,” Secretary of the Election Commission Kanwar Dilshad told reporters in Islamabad.
Dilshad said that the Election Commission has received reports from four provinces about the law and order situation and the reports would be shared with the parties today.
Two major opposition parties, namely Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League-N on Monday opposed any delay in the election and said any such move would be an attempt to rig the polls.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Q, which supports President Pervez Musharraf, also says it is ready to take part but its spokesman Azeem Tariq says that election is unlikely to take place on time.
“The Election Commission will inform parties about ground realities,” Dilshad said.
Earlier the Election Commission discussed reports about the law and order situation and its members were of the opinion to delay the election till February, an official of the Commission said.
He said that February 24 and 25 were proposed for alternate dates for the polling day but no decision was taken.
The official, requesting not to be identified, said that Sindh province in its report said it can not hold the election in the present circumstances. Punjab province also cited law and order problem while the North West Frontier Province mentioned security problem in Swat valley and Kurrum tribal agency.
Southwestern Balochistan said it is ready to hold elections in time.
Pakistan’s prime minister had previously said the election would go on as planned and the federal cabinet has left the decision to the Election Commission.