ISLAMABAD - As the talks between the government and the PTI remained inconclusive over elections in Punjab, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has once again conveyed to the Supreme Court (SC) regarding paucity of funds for holding elections and unavailability of required security.
The top election body has submitted a detailed report to the apex court, arguing the unavailability of two major factors - paucity of funds and unavailability of required security - necessary for conducting polls, well-placed sources in ECP shared with The Nation yesterday. The ECP has already submitted three reports regarding the requirement of Rs21 billion for polls in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. With the argument of delaying polls as an unconstitutional act, the top court last month had ordered the government to hold elections in Punjab on May 14.
Interestingly, the ECP has yet to prepare printing of the ballot papers, pictorial voters list and related items when the elections in the most populous province are less than ten days away as per the date [May 14] announced by the top court. Normally, the retaining staff, presiding officers are finalized ten days before the polls in any province on paper. The sources said that the unavailability of funds was the main reason behind the delay in preparation for the polls. The ECP and the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) had submitted their fourth report to the Supreme Court as the apex court had ordered the government to provide Rs21 billion to the ECP to conduct elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The commission in its previously submitted reports has also shared details about the non-provision of funds from the government. Subsequently, the court had directed the State Bank of Pakistan to release funds worth Rs21 billion for elections and send an appropriate communication to this effect to the Finance Ministry. Following the top court’s orders, the central bank conveyed that approval of the government is required to release the amount.
