The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has informed the Supreme Court that it has not yet received the required funds of Rs. 21 billion for the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies’ elections.
In a two-page report submitted to the court, the commission clarified the latest situation regarding the unavailability of funds.
Earlier on April 18, the commission had requested the court that separate elections for the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies are not possible due to the significant expenses involved as compared to holding all elections on the same day.
The report was filed in compliance with the court’s directives of April 14, in which the commission decided that the movement of security personnel already under deployment will require one week.
The ECP also warned that holding separate elections could increase the risk of violence as a party losing in one constituency may resort to violence in the next round to compensate for their losses. This could potentially exacerbate the damage caused.