Pakistan's Jamaat-e-Islami party demands immediate elections as crisis grows

NEW DELHI, March 25 (Bernama) -- Pakistan's Jamaat-e-Islami party has added its voice to the growing chorus calling for immediate elections to get the country out of its current political crisis.

Such calls have grown louder since the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday postponed the Punjab provincial assembly elections from April 30 to October 8, citing financial and security reasons.

President Arif Alvi on Friday wrote to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to direct the authorities concerned to help the election agency to hold general elections in the province of Punjab as well as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on time.

The assemblies in the two provinces were dissolved in January.

Alvi also highlighted alleged human rights abuses, noting in his letter that "fake and frivolous cases have been registered against politicians, workers, journalists and media persons."

According to former prime minister Imran Khan, more than 700 of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers have been arrested by police.

Pakistan's ongoing political crisis began after Imran's federal government was toppled via a parliamentary vote of no-confidence almost a year ago.

Shehbaz, who became prime minister with the support of a disparate group of parties collectively known as the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), is under pressure to hold early national elections.

"The only solution to the crisis is immediate elections. General elections should be held on the same date across the country," Jamaat-e-Islami chief Siraj ul Haq said.

"The Election Commission should not violate the constitution," he said.

-- BERNAMA