PDM members shouldn’t have notified census results if against fresh delimitations: Sanjrani

KARACHI: Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani has said that political parties that were part of the previous coalition government of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) — including the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) — were aware that after they approved the census results, fresh delimitation of constituencies would take place in the country,

Talking to media persons on Saturday, the Senate chairman said that if political parties had objections to the exercise of fresh delimitations in the country, they shouldn’t have notified the census results after approving them at the Council of Common Interests.

He further assured the media personnel that elections will be held in the country in a timely fashion and that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) would solemnly perform its duty in this regard.

He said the ECP would announce the date for general elections in the country as soon as it completed the process of fresh delimitations.

He added that the new caretaker prime minister would strive to overcome the sense of deprivation among the people of Balochistan as he belonged to the same province. But such chronic issues couldn’t be overcome in a limited tenure lasting only 90 days.

Sanjrani said the people of Balochistan had become hopeful after seeing that the new caretaker prime minister was a native of their province, but plenty of resources were required for the province’s progress.

He said senators from Balochistan were vocal about the provincial issues.

To a question, Sanjrani said the tenure of incumbent President Dr Arif Alvi would end on September 9, but he would remain president till the election of the new head of the state.

He added the election for the president would take place after the completion of the electoral college comprising National and provincial assemblies.

The Senate chairman also said the democratic process was continuing in the country with the formation of caretaker governments in the country.