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Holding local elections in a province with 110 million people,
around half Pakistan's population, would be an expensive,
logistically complicated exercise for a government dependant on
foreign aid and reeling from the impact of last year's
devastating floods.
By bringing forward a local poll, political analysts say it
could pressure the national government into holding a
countrywide election earlier to avoid the huge double cost of
two votes.
Punjab is one of two provinces ruled by a coalition partner of
Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party.
Khan has been demanding general elections since he was ousted in
April after losing a parliamentary vote of confidence. The
70-year-old former international cricketer has also led
nationwide protests against his successor, Prime Minister
Shehbaz Sharif.
Sharif has repeatedly rejected Khan's demands, saying elections
will be held as scheduled later this year. As for the provincial
assembly elections, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said the
government will hold snap polls as necessary.
Punjab government spokesman Mussarat Cheema told Reuters the
process to choose a caretaker government to oversee the polls
had started. "We want this process to be completed as soon as
possible so that we head toward elections," he said.
According to the constitution, the local assembly was
automatically disbanded 48 hours after Punjab's chief minister
called for it to be dissolved late on Thursday. The constitution
also stipulates that elections must be held within 90 days.
Mahmood Khan, the chief minister of the other PTI-coalition
ruled province, the northeastern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said he
would call on Tuesday for the local assembly to be dissolved.
(Writing by Asif Shahzad and Miral Fahmy; Editing by Vin
Shahrestani)
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