Webdesk: Nisar Khuhro, the president of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in Sindh, said on Monday that a protest planned for April 25 to demand that elections for the national and province assemblies be held on the same day has been cancelled as a “show of restraint.”
Khuhro said in a statement that all institutions, including the courts, should listen to what the people want.
He asked again for the country’s elections to be held at the same time. He said, “If the people’s voice isn’t heard, a protest date will be set again.”
The PPP leader also said, “Pakistan cannot afford separate elections.”
He also said that separate elections would destroy Pakistan’s political system and put a “question mark” on the country’s honesty.
“Single-day elections can strengthen the political system after the five-year term of the assemblies is over,” he said.
Yesterday, the PPP said it would hold a protest all over the province on April 25 to demand that polls be held on the same day all over the country.
“Sindh doesn’t agree with the plan to hold elections for the provincial and national assemblies on different days,” he said. “Only on the same day will Sindh accept the plan.”
Khuhro said that the Election Act says that the polls should be held at the same time.
“Having separate elections will be the same as splitting the country in half,” he said.
Election mystery
The protest was called for because the date of the elections is still unclear. The ruling alliance wants elections to be held on the same day all over the country. But the Supreme Court has ordered snap elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
Last week, the top court heard multiple petitions asking for elections to be held at the same time. In response, the court told the political groups in opposition to figure out a date for the elections right away.
The PPP and the PML-N both wanted to talk to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) about the election date. But Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, which is part of the coalition that is in power, has refused to make any kind of deal with PTI.
