Raja Riaz: Elections would be held in February

ISLAMABAD: Former opposition leader in Pakistan’s National Assembly (NA) Raja Riaz revealed on Saturday that the country’s general elections would be held in February, a delay of three months beyond the constitutionally allowed 90-day limit ending in November.

According to Dawn.com, Riaz’s statement followed the appointment of Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) Senator Anwaarul Haq Kakar as interim prime minister. The decision emerged from consultations between Kakar and Shehbaz Sharif, who hold the positions of the country’s chief executive and opposition leader in the NA.

Meanwhile, the announcement of interim premier came three days after the NA was dissolved ahead of schedule on August 9. As per the mandated timeline, elections were to be conducted within 90 days of dissolution.

Read More: Caretaker PM: Who is Anwarulhaq Kakar?

As per the media reports, a delay in the elections seemed inevitable due to the necessity of a fresh delimitation, following the approval of the 2023 digital census results. The process would take several months.

Raja Riaz, during his interview, highlighted the historically perceived deprivation of rights in Balochistan and justified the selection of a caretaker prime minister from the province.

Riaz also addressed the process of selecting the caretaker prime minister while talking to the media. He said that he independently suggested the names for consideration and denied any external influence in suggesting Kakar.

Although Riaz had previously mentioned his intention to run in the next elections with Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N), he now told the media that he had not talked about this again since assuming the opposition leader role.

“I would reach a decision and share it in due course,” Riaz said.

Meanwhile, when he was questioned about ensuring a level playing field and the participation of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) in the electoral process, he refrained from commenting on it.

The process of appointing the caretaker prime minister commenced a day after the premature dissolution of the NA on August 9. Initial discussions between Shehbaz and Riaz took place on August 10, where they exchanged lists of potential candidates.

Further consultations occurred during a dinner hosted by Shehbaz for outgoing ruling alliance leaders. Following the discussions, Shehbaz expressed confidence in finalising the interim leader’s name by Saturday.

According to Dawn.com, the delay in selecting a caretaker prime minister stemmed from Riaz’s differing preferences, despite his reputation as a “friendly opposition leader.” Riaz advocated for his preferred candidate over PML-N’s suggested names.

The media reports further revealed that PML-N Supremo Nawaz Sharif, through PM Shehbaz Sharif, advocated for the consideration of former finance minister Ishaq Dar as caretaker premier. Alternatively, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was proposed.

Whereas, Raja Riaz advocated for the nomination of Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani.