PTI-Backed Candidate Calls for Postponement of Presidential Elections

Just ahead of Pakistan’s presidential elections, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, supported by PTI, urges the Election Commission of Pakistan to delay the polls until the electoral college is complete. This move comes amidst ongoing legal disputes regarding reserved seats in assemblies and challenges to the electoral process.

In a last-minute appeal, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, a candidate backed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-aligned Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), has requested the postponement of the upcoming presidential elections in Pakistan. Achakzai contends that the electoral college, essential for a lawful election, remains incomplete due to vacant reserved seats in the National Assembly and provincial assemblies.

In a formal letter addressed to Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja, Achakzai highlighted the absence of elected representatives for these reserved seats, stating that conducting the presidential election without their participation would violate fundamental rights and constitutional principles. He underscored the significance of filling these seats before proceeding with the polls, deeming any election without their completion as illegal and contrary to the constitutional spirit.

Achakzai pointed to a stay order issued by the Peshawar High Court (PHC) regarding the disputed reserved seats, expressing confidence that the court’s decision would support the PTI-backed party’s stance. He urged the Election Commission to prioritize justice, fairness, and equity by postponing the elections until the electoral college is properly constituted.

The presidential elections, slated for the following day, are poised to witness a showdown between Achakzai and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari. These elections are unique in that they involve votes from assemblies and both houses of Parliament to determine the next president.

Backdrop to this appeal includes PTI’s efforts to secure reserved seats through alliances and independent candidacies, following the party’s denial of election symbols by the Election Commission. The PTI’s association with the SIC and subsequent legal battles over the allocation of reserved seats have added complexity to the electoral process.

The party’s challenge to the Election Commission’s ruling, subsequent court interventions, and ongoing legal battles have created uncertainty surrounding the electoral landscape. Against this backdrop, Achakzai’s appeal leverages the PHC’s stay order to argue for a postponement, citing the need for a fair and just electoral process.