ISLAMABAD  -  Unlike previous political history of the country, the election campaign has yet not gained momentum in the country despite the announcement of a tentative schedule in the country (by the end of January). The country’s mainstream political parties and their leaderships, actively demanding general elections as soon as possible, were also seeing the return of PMLN’s supremo Nawaz Sharif to kick start the election campaign.

Background discussions with the main leaders of political factions left this impression that the uncertainty about the polls would come to an end soon. A visible festivity of elections would be seen in the country in the days to come. The political forces, which have yet not finalized plans to start a proper political campaign, would start pushing workers for starting elections campaigns in their constituencies. Though the Election Commission of Pakistan [ECP] has yet not announced the final date for the general elections in the country, a mist about the elections has almost been cleared. The political leadership would now start contacting their potential candidates and electables, as this practice usually starts near the elections in the country.

The factor of uncertainty about the general elections, which was dominating over the rest of the matters, would further clear when PML-N also starts pushing the electoral watchdog for the polls. Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, in his speech, has not touched the matter about the general elections which has provided an opportunity to his political opponents to pass comments about PML-N’s intentions to further delay the polls. 

The political statements about delay in polls by JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur already remained in discussion in the political arena. Maulana had not hesitated to criticize the tentative schedule for the polls by saying that the month of January would not be suitable for the general elections due to cold temperature. 

The political leadership dialgues, according to the political pundits, would soon increase in the country. Recently, the political heavyweights have started initial meetings with each other over the upcoming polls and other related matters. 

The meetings of PPP’s Chairman Bilawal Zardari Bhutto and Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain, PPP’s Chairman Asif Ali Zardari and JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman, Shehbaz Sharif meeting with JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman were highlighted over the media. 

Political analysts viewed that a series of meetings of Nawaz Sharif with other political parties leaders is expected in the days to come. The leadership would decide about the matters related to the upcoming general elections in the country. 

The country’s elections history (from 1970 to last polls) has revealed that the polls were held in both extreme hot and cold weather. The elections were delayed due to monsoon rains, murders of leadership and other reasons but the extreme weather had not proved an impediment in conducting the polls. The elections were held in the months of winters [November, December] and also in extreme hot weather May and July.