Just one day after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) expressed worries over the non-release of funding for the approaching general elections arrangement, the federal government on Tuesday gave the electoral body Rs17.4 billion.
In addition to the Rs 10 billion given in July 2023, the Finance Division stated that it has granted an additional Rs 17.4 billion to the ECP.
With this, the entire money released for organizing general elections is Rs27.4 billion. In a statement, the Finance Division stated that it is still dedicated to providing cash as needed by the Pakistani Election Commission.
Imdad Ullah Bosal, the finance secretary, gave the electoral watchdog assurances on Monday that money for the next general elections will be made available in a day or two.
The commission called Bosal because the Finance Ministry had not responded to its request for the budgetary monies designated for the elections.
In response to the ECP’s worries, interim minister of information Murtaza Solangi stated that there is no emergency when it comes to covering the election commission’s budgetary requirements.
He said the cabinet had authorized Rs 42 billion for the ECP’s budgetary demands in a post on the social media platform X, noting that Rs 10 billion had already been disbursed.
The minister promised to release funds to the ECP in accordance with its needs, regardless of how much was allocated for it.
Solangi reiterated that the ECP’s efforts to hold free and fair elections had the full support of the government.
Elections in Pakistan are soon to take place; they are set for February 8, 2024. In the lead-up to the elections, every political party has prepared for a showdown, and the ECP has announced the final list of constituency delimitations for the national assembly and the four province assemblies.
Later this month, the election schedule is anticipated to be announced by the electoral authority. The final list of delimitations was supposed to be released on December 15, but that date was later changed to November 30.
The ECP stated in its notification that the National Assembly has 266 general seats, 60 of which are reserved for women and an additional 10 seats for non-Muslims, in accordance with Article 51(3) of the Constitution
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