The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) extended on Friday the deadline for foreign observers to submit their applications until January 20.

Prior to this, the foreign observers were asked to submit their requests until January 20. The decision regarding the foreign observers was made during the meeting chaired by the ECP secretary. On this occasion, officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), interior ministry, and intelligence were also present.

The ECP secretary informed the meeting that 200,000 accreditation cards had been printed. The matters pertaining to the foreign observers are being monitored through the open-door policy.

It was briefed in the meeting that, so far, responses have been received from 103 representatives of foreign media residing in Pakistan.

The delegations from the European Union (EU) and Commonwealth countries are coming for observation purposes, the briefing revealed.

The next meeting of the inter-ministerial committee is scheduled for January 10.

– Deadline to file nominations extended; ECP revises election schedule –

The ECP had extended the deadline for the submission of nomination papers by two days.

Various political parties, including the PML-N, PPP, BAP, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl, among others, had appealed for the extension.

While extending the deadline, the ECP has released a revised election schedule, according to which nomination papers can now be submitted till December 24.

The preliminary list of candidates will now be released on the same day, December 24, as per the revised election schedule. The scrutiny of the nomination papers will now be held from December 25 to 30.

Moreover, appeals against the decisions of the returning officers regarding the scrutiny can be filed by January 3, while the election appellate tribunals will have to pronounce their decisions on the appeals by January 10.