ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue rejected a bill seeking the release of $21 billion to the Election Commission of Pakistan.
The bill was presented by the Federal Finance Minister, Ishaq Dar, titled “Charged Sum for General Election (Provincial Assemblies of Punjab & Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) Bill 2023.”
The rejection of the bill casts doubts on the Supreme Court’s deadline to hold elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The deadline was set for May 14, 2023, and the federal government was directed to release the election funds to the ECP by April 10, 2023.
The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Finance has rejected a bill tabled by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, titled “Charged Sum for General Election (Provincial Assemblies of Punjab & Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) Bill 2023”.
General elections in KP and Punjab
The bill aimed to allocate PKR 21 billion for the Election Commission of Pakistan to conduct general elections in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab. However, the committee rejected the bill stating that it was not allocated in the budget and the funds were not available.
Now the bill will now be sent back to the National Assembly for lawmakers to ponder over before being sent to the relevant committees again.
