Pakistan Senate passes resolution seeking delay in Feb 8 elections

Pakistan's Senate on Friday approved a resolution seeking a delay in the general election, citing cold weather and security concerns, increasing the political uncertainty ahead of the planned polls on February 8. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) opposed the move.

Islamabad: Pakistan's Senate on Friday approved a resolution seeking a delay in the general election, citing cold weather and security concerns, increasing the political uncertainty ahead of the planned polls on February 8.

The resolution, tabled by independent Senator Dilawar Khan, received overwhelming support in the upper house of Pakistan's Parliament.

However, Information Minister Murtaza Solangi and three-time Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party opposed the move.

Senator Khan said that most areas of the country were currently experiencing harsh cold weather, so participation in elections in those areas was unmanageable.

Raising concerns about the security situation, he said the law and order situation was not good and added that politicians were being targeted, including an attack on Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) chief Fazlur Rehman.

"Even security forces are being attacked in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (provinces)," he added.

The resolution was passed with only 14 lawmakers in attendance, according to the Dawn newspaper, despite clear orders by the Supreme Court to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to stick to its announcement to hold the elections on February 8.

The move by the Senate is expected to increase political and economic instability in the country.

The Pakistan Stock Exchange reacted negatively to the resolution, and the share market immediately fell by more than 800 points.