KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM-P) joined the ranks of those endorsing fresh delimitations, the others being PML-N and JUI-F. Only a day after the PPP demanded elections within 90 days — which would only be possible if the delimitation exe­rcise is put off.

The PPP leadership in Pun­jab has urged PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and PML-N Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz not to back delay in elections as it would hurt their prospects of contesting the elections.

After a meeting of its coordination committee on Saturday, MQM-P also vowed to take all possible steps for this demand, including legal course. It said the fresh delimitation exercise was crucial for free and fair polls.

“The fresh delimitation is now a legal requirement after the new census results. It’s also crucial for free and fair elections. The MQM-P would take every possible constitutional and legal course to make it happen,” said the party spokesman in a brief statement.

On Friday the PPP, after its CEC meeting, claimed it had agreed to approve the digital census results in a meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) — which has now become an excuse to delay polls — only after assurances that the move would not cause any delay in the polls.

Hinting that the party may take a “legal course” for its principled stand if its last attempt to convince the Election Commission of Pakistan on August 29 to meet the 90-day constitutional deadline remained unsuccessful, the party said the next central executive committee meeting of the party to be held in Lahore in September would announce a final strategy.

Senator Waqar Mehdi reaffirmed the PPP stance saying the party had kept its options open in case the ECP insisted on delaying the polls beyond the constitutionally-mandated deadline.

“In this case, the party would definitely consider legal options and also go to public to seek their opinion. We are clear that the Constitution is supreme which says that the general elections should be held within 90 days,” he said.

The key partners of the PPP in the recently-dissolved coalition government, however, don’t seem to agree with the party’s emerging strategy. On its strong position for the polls within 90 days, the PML-N has already asked the PPP to “refrain” from politicising constitutional issues while supporting the ECP stance for fresh delimitation before the next general elections.

The JUI-F, on the other hand, finds itself “unable to understand” the reasons behind the PPP’s fresh aggressive approach.

“We are unable to understand the PPP strategy,” said the JUI-F spokesman Aslam Ghauri.

“The PPP chief minister was there in the CCI when the census was approved. We also believe that the Constitution should prevail and we’re ready for the polls whenever they are held. But if the law says that the delimitation is crucial before the next polls, we think there’s no harm in it. Heavens would not fall if the polls were delayed for a month or two.”