Pak EC proposes to hold polls in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Pakistan’s election authority on Wednesday proposed to hold polls in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces in April, days after the provincial assemblies were dissolved by former prime minister Imran Khan’s ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party to press for snap general elections in the country.

The Election Commission of Pakistan suggested that elections should be held between April 9 and 13 in Punjab, and in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa between April 15 and 17. The provincial assemblies in the two provinces were dissolved prematurely this month by the Pakistan

Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party to force the government to call for early general elections.

However, the federal government refused to bow before the pressure and has been so far adamant to hold elections on time after August this year.

Since caretaker governments were installed in the two provinces and elections should be held within 90 days of the dissolution of assemblies, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced the dates of provincial elections.

Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi was sworn in as the caretaker chief minister of

Punjab on January 22, while Mohammad Azam Khan