ECP ready to hold general elections within three months

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday categorically said that it was prepared to hold general elections within three months, rejecting media reports that claimed holding the electoral exercise was not possible in 90 days.

Some media outlets Tuesday morning attributed a statement to the ECP saying that it was not possible to hold general elections within three months.

The claim was rejected in a written statement issued by the ECP.

"It is important to clarify that the Election Commission of Pakistan has not issued any statement regarding the election. There is no truth in the news that general elections cannot be held in three months," the ECP explained in the statement.

The commission said it was always ready and it is the constitutional responsibility of the ECP to hold the general elections.

An ECP spokesperson said the commission had summoned an emergency meeting to discuss the preparations for the general elections.

The reports Tuesday morning had claimed that it would take at least six months to hold general elections, citing recent delimitation of constituencies and discrepancies in district and constituency-wise electoral rolls as major hurdles in early elections.

The need to procure election material and ballot papers, and the training of polling staff was also cited as a hurdle.

Earlier, former Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed said the PTI’s political committee had decided to go for early elections.

Rasheed also attends meeting of PTI committee.

He said all the opposition leaders, except Asif Ali Zardari, had agreed on early elections before the no-confidence motion was tabled. The only reservation they had was about timing but now we have 90 days, he added.