ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) denied on Monday issuing any official statement concerning the by-elections of national and provincial assemblies in case of the resignations of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers.

The ECP spokesperson in a statement lamented that his answers to the queries were reported ‘out of context’.

Earlier during a press conference, a journalist asked the ECP spokesperson about the law, rules, and expenditures to be incurred on holding the by-elections of national and provincial assemblies, in case PTI quit assemblies

“We will hold by-elections on the vacant seats if PTI members resign from the assemblies. Holding a by-election in provincial constituency costs between Rs 50 million to Rs 70 million. By-elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies will cost nearly Rs 22 billion, “ a section of media quoted the spokesman as saying.

The news conference came days after PTI chief Imran Khan, while addressing a public gathering in Rawalpindi, announced quitting the assemblies.

The PTI is, currently, in power in two provinces – Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – and it also has presence in Balochistan and Sindh assemblies.