KP Governor Haji Ghulam Ali has told the Election Commission of Pakistan that it should consult law enforcement agencies to make sure ‘fair’ elections are possible in the province.

The governor has also refused to give a date for the election, which was the reason the ECP had originally written to him on January 29.

The governor has cited the ‘alarming’ law and order situation in the province in recent days for his reply.

“It would be advisable that before fixing a date for the General Elections, the Election Commission of Pakistan should consult and take into confidence the relevant institutions/LEAs as well as political parties to ensure that conduct of general elections in a fair, free and peaceful manner is possible in the province.”

Article 105(3) states that the governor should set a date for elections in the province which must be held within 90 days.

However, there also seems to be some confusion since the a press handout said on Tuesday that the governor had replied to the ECp with a date for the election.

The KP assembly was dissolved on January 18 by the PTI, in an attempt to pressurise the PDM government to hold general elections in the country.

The law and order situation has deteriorated in KP over the last few months, with the most devastating attack occurring on Monday in Peshawar’s police lines area, in which 97 policemen were killed.