ECP rejects MQM-P request for two-month extension for intra-party polls
The Election Commission of Pakistan has rejected MQM-P’s request for a two-month extension to hold intra-party elections. The ECP also directed Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui or his lawyer to appear at the next hearing.
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday rejected a request by Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) seeking a two-month extension to hold its intra-party elections.
A three-member bench, headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), heard the case, with officials from the ECP’s Political Finance Wing and party representatives present. The CEC questioned the rationale behind the proposed delay, asking, “What war is being fought in Pakistan? We cannot grant two months.”
The commission directed that MQM-P convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui or his lawyer must appear at the next hearing. The CEC cautioned that failure to comply could result in serious consequences.
Director General Political Finance Masood Sherwani informed the bench that MQM-P last conducted its intra-party elections on October 16, 2021. According to the party constitution, fresh elections were due by October 16, 2025.
The ECP’s decision underscores its commitment to enforcing timely electoral processes within political parties, signalling that extensions will not be granted without sufficient justification.
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