Govt won't disband ECP, nor remove CEC: Naek
04 February, 2013
KARACHI: The government has said that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) cannot be dissolved nor can the chief election commissioner (CEC) be removed.
Law Minister Farooq H Naek on Sunday said that the president will dissolve the assemblies on the advice of the prime minister, which will lead to new elections. However, while talking to newsmen, Naek said that announcement of the elections' date is a prerogative of the president.
He said that the ECP has been formed in the light of the constitution, therefore, it cannot be dissolved nor can the chief election commissioner (CEC) be removed. The law minister said consultation is under way with the stakeholders to hold general elections on the same day. He said the agreement with Tehreek-e-Minhajul Quran chief Tahirul Qadri remains intact.
Naek said giving the date for the next general elections is the president's prerogative and he (the president) would himself make the announcement to this effect.
The minister further said that a consensus of the four provincial chief ministers was mandatory to hold both national and provincial elections on the same day. The prime minister and leader of the opposition would hold consultations for the caretaker set up, he added.
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