Addressing concerns raised by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Finance Secretary Imdad Ullah Bosal provided reassurance on Monday that the funds earmarked for the upcoming general elections would be disbursed within the next couple of days.
Bosal was summoned by the electoral body in response to the Finance Ministry’s lack of responsiveness regarding the allocation of funds for the polls within the budget.
This development unfolded as Pakistan gears up for the general polls scheduled to take place on February 8, 2024.
The secretary affirmed that the Finance Ministry is committed to releasing the necessary funds as requested by the Election Commission. He clarified that the electoral body’s letter, dated November 14, was received by the ministry on November 18.
“The disbursement of funds involves approval at various levels,” added the secretary.
Following a meeting with the ECP, the secretary addressed the media.
His appearance at the ECP followed reports from Geo News, stating that the electoral body had taken notice of the government’s failure to provide funds.
Sources revealed that although the government had allocated Rs42 billion for the general elections in the current financial year’s budget, the Finance Ministry had only disbursed Rs10 billion to the ECP.
The remaining amount, urgently required for the February 8 general elections, is reportedly facing unjustifiable delays in disbursement.
“Rs17 billion are urgently needed for holding the general elections on February 8,” emphasized the sources.
Despite repeated attempts and a written reminder to the Finance Ministry for the immediate provision of funds, no positive response has been received.
Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja has decided to inform Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar about the non-provision of funds by the finance ministry. A detailed letter is also underway to be sent to the premier today, according to the sources.
Looking ahead to the 2024 general elections scheduled for February 8, all political parties are actively preparing for the upcoming face-off. The ECP has already notified the final list of constituency delimitations for the national and four provincial assemblies.
The electoral watchdog is expected to announce the election schedule sometime this week, despite an initial announcement date of December 15, later revised to November 30, as per the ECP’s notification. Article 51(3) of the Constitution outlines that the National Assembly consists of 266 general seats, with 60 reserved for women and an additional 10 for non-Muslims.
