Maulana Fazlur Rehman, leader of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F), met with Shehbaz Sharif, leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), on Wednesday to ask for his support in deferring the next general election beyond January. The latter, however, has requested time to consult with his party.
Rehman argued that the cold weather in January would make it difficult to hold elections in some parts of the country, such as Chitral, Khuzdar, and other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced that the general election will be held in the last week of January 2024, but has not yet provided a specific date. All major political parties are currently preparing for their electoral campaigns, with the exception of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which has been barred from holding political activities following the events of May 9.
The JUI-F's demand to defer the elections has been criticized by the PPP, with Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari calling it an "excuse to delay polls." Information Secretary Faisal Karim Kundi has also asked Rehman to explain who is behind his demand.
The PML-N has not yet made a decision on whether or not to support the JUI-F's demand. Ahsan Iqbal, the party's secretary general, has stated that the PML-N will abide by the ECP's schedule, while Shehbaz Sharif has said that he will discuss the proposal with the party leadership before making a commitment.
