ECP announces public holiday on Feb 8 for polls

ECP says purpose of the public holiday is to enable voters to vote freely and easily

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A man waves Pakistan’s national flag as he rides a bike in Islamabad on August, 14, 2023, celebrating the country’s Independence Day. — AFP

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Thursday issued a notification announcing a public holiday on February 8, the day when the country's crucial polls will held after more than five years.

The purpose of the public holiday is to enable voters to vote freely and easily, the ECP said in its notification.

The development was announced following a key meeting held at the electoral authority's office in Islamabad today, where discussions around the state of law and order in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan have also taken place.

A day earlier, the Punjab government decided to keep schools, colleges and universities across the province closed from February 6 to 9 in the backdrop of the general elections.

As per the Punjab cabinet, the decision would apply on public and private educational institutes both.

Caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi, in a post on X, said, “In view of the upcoming general elections on 8th February, Provincial Cabinet has approved that all public and private sector schools, colleges, and universities in Punjab will be closed from Feb 6th to 9th.”

However, he said, the 9:30am opening timing for schools will only be observed till February 3. Regular school timings will be observed later on, he added.