Federal Law Minster Farooq H. Naik on Tuesday shied away from giving a firm date for the next general elections, saying only President Asif Ali Zardari could announce the date of upcoming general polls.
“The government is completing its tenure on March 16 next year and constitutionally the elections will be held within 50 days from that date,” Naik said while speaking to reporters.
“There is no truth in claims about delay in elections, these are rumors,” the minister said, adding a final date of elections has not so far been decided by the government.
“We want to hold elections on time as per the law and the constitution but it is the constitutional right of the president to announce the polling day,” the minister said.
Naik said voting for national and provincial assemblies would be held simultaneously.
To a query about caretaker setup ahead of the polls, he said that the caretaker prime minister would be appointed with mutual understanding between the government and the opposition.
