Pak likely to hold next general elections in November:Report

Islamabad, Jul 16:

Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf will announce on Aug 14 the roadmap for the next general elections likely to be held in the first week of Nov, months ahead of schedule, according to a media report today.

The ruling Pakistan People's Party and the main opposition PML-N held a meeting yesterday to discuss the upcoming general election, Dawn News channel quoted its sources as saying.

The premier will formally announce the road map for the polls on Aug 14, which is Pakistan's Independence Day, the report said.

The next general election is scheduled for Mar next year, when the PPP-led government will complete its five-year term. However, the PPP is under pressure from the opposition to advance the polls in the wake of allegations of widespread corruption and poor governance.

The opposition has also been emboldened by a standoff between the government and the Supreme Court, which has given Prime Minister Ashraf time till Jul 25 to approach Swiss authorities to reopen graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.

Ashraf's predecessor, Yousuf Raza Gilani, was convicted of contempt and disqualified by the apex court after he refused to revive the cases against Zardari.

During the meeting held yesterday, the PPP and PML-N agreed that the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers and other federal and provincial ministers in the caretaker set-up would be residents of Pakistan.

The caretaker premier will be from neither the PPP or the PML-N nor one who has been a member or leader of any other political party, Dawn News reported.

PTI