ECP dismisses notion of general elections if PTI dissolves provincial assemblies

Staff Reporter
LAHORE: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday said it will hold by-elections on the vacant seats if the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) implements its strategy to resign from all assemblies. Last week, PTI Chairman Imran Khan, while addressing a huge gathering at the final showdown of his party’s long march against the government, announced his next move of quitting the assemblies.
The PTI is, currently, in power in two provinces – Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – and it also has presence in Balochistan and Sindh assemblies.
In Centre, the PTI lawmakers have submitted their resignations from the National Assembly while its senators are part of the Senate.
An ECP spokesperson said that elections will be held only in those provinces where assemblies are dissolved. He also dispelled perception of general election if the KP and Punjab assemblies are dissolved.  “We will hold by-elections on the vacant seats if PTI MPAs resign from the assemblies,” the spokesperson said.
He said that holding election in an provincial constituency cost between Rs50 million to Rs70 million. It is a difficult task to hold by-elections and general elections in a same year but the election body is bound to the law.
He said that holding elections for Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies will cost nearly Rs22 billion.