ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is gearing up for its upcoming general elections, which are now scheduled to take place at the close of January 2024. This significant announcement was made by the Election Commission of Pakistan, and it marks a notable shift from the initially planned October election date. The postponement can be attributed to the abrupt exit of the Shehbaz Sharif government and the subsequent imperative of conducting a census.

On September 27, the preliminary list of constituencies will be unveiled, with the final list expected to be published on November 30. The latter date is set after taking into account feedback and concerns regarding the preliminary constituency lists.

The election period is earmarked for 54 days, culminating in the final week of January 2024 when the nation will cast their votes.

The political landscape has seen a caretaker government assume power in August of this year, following the early departure of the Shehbaz Sharif-led coalition. This transition added an extra month to the electoral timeline. The previous administration had asserted that elections could only proceed after completing a fresh census and demarcating new constituency boundaries. This necessity arose following the completion of this year's census.

Initial apprehensions had arisen due to concerns that the delimitation process might cause further delays, taking an estimated four months to conclude. However, amid mounting pressure from various political parties and in accordance with the constitutional mandate stipulating a 120-day deadline for the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to complete the delimitation, the timeframe for this process has been expedited.

These elections are taking place amidst a political crisis, characterized by the imprisonment of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, one of the country's most prominent political figures, and a significant crackdown on his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party.

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has underscored the interim government's unwavering commitment to preserving the democratic principles of Pakistan by ensuring the timely conduct of general elections, pledging not to employ any excuses to further postpone the electoral process.

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