The Election Commission (EC) of Pakistan has declared that the deferred by-election will now be held on 26 June. A spokesperson declared that May 13 has been designated as the final date for the submitting of nomination papers. A total of eight national assembly seats and 30 provincial ones are up for grabs. Neither Asif Ali Zardari nor Nawaz Sharif, who are the top political figures of Pakistan, ran during the February elections which witnessed the overthrow of President Musharraf’s supporters. Certain sources state that both may consider standing in the 26 June by-elections.  

 

The by-elections that was planned to be held on 18 June has already been postponed once. The Pakistan EC explained on Sunday 4 May that the by-election had to be deferred further because of security concerns in north-west. A new date of 18 August was given. This caused both Zardari and Sharif rebuke the decision saying it was unconstitutional. The EC in Pakistan has got people who are anointed by the president, but Musharraf’s spokesman denied that the delay was politically motivated.