Raja Riaz, former opposition leader in National Assembly, has claimed that “elders” have decided that elections would be held in February 2024.

“Elections will be held a week before or after February 15, 2024,” he said in an interview with Kashif Abbasi on his show Off The Record on ARY News. “I am giving you this breaking news. I will be responsible if there is any shortcoming.”

When asked about the source of the information, Riaz tried to substantiate his claims with his position as a politician.

“I, who will tell [me], I am a political worker. I know that the election will be held in February. I have also given you the date,” Riaz replied. He refused to speak about a query that the country’s top electoral authority which is oblivious to the date of polls.

Many experts have expressed their concerns over timely elections in the country, despite claims of the former ministers. They think the Council of Common Interests’ decision to notify the digital census results has increased the likelihood of not having elections due this year.

Earlier this month, former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed to Aaj News that elections would be held under the latest census results.

Meanwhile, PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah also said that elections were likely to take place in February next year.

Sanaullah told Geo News that he was sure that the establishment also wanted to conduct elections within 90 days. But he added that polls would be held in February due to the delimitation of constituencies.

He said that PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif was expected to return to Pakistan to lead the electoral campaign ahead of the polls.