The date for polls has already been set at April 30 by President Arif Alvi.

According to the notification, candidates will be able to file nomination papers from March 12 to 14. The scrutiny of these nomination papers will be completed by March 22.

After appeals and their processing by the appellate tribunal, the final schedule a final list of candidates on April 4 and election symbols will be awarded on April 6. candidates will therefore have 23 official days of campaigning.

Finance and interior ministry officials summoned

The ECP also summoned secretaries from the interior ministry and the finance ministry for a breifing on Thursday.

Reports said that the commission will demand funds and security plans from the two ministries for the organisation of elections of the provincial assemblies in KP and Punjab.

It is also expected that the ministry of defence will be asked to provide army officials for security during elections.

KP date still not finalised

A meeting between KP Governor Ghulam Ali and ECP officials wnded without result on Wednesday after no date was agreed upon.

The officials had been invited by the governor for consultations regarding the elections since the Supreme Court has ordered that a date should be fixed without delay.

Reports said that the governor emphasised that the elections should be conducted in a secure atmosphere. However, ECP officials expressed an unwillingness to brief him on the security situation and advised him to stick to announcing the date only, over which the deadlock persisted.