Marriyum declares ECP's decision to postpone Punjab elections in national interest.

ISLAMABAD -- Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb on Thursday said that the decision of the Election Commission of Pakistan to postpone the Punjab Assembly elections was in the interest of Pakistan.

"The Election Commission took the decision keeping in mind the economic, political and security situation", she said in a statement.

The minister said that the ECP had saved the country from a big constitutional crisis and this decision would bring political stability in the country.

Marriyum Aurangzeb maintained that under Article 218 of the Constitution, the ECP has to ensure transparent, impartial and fair elections.

Article 224 required that at the time of elections, caretaker governments should be established at the federal and provincial level, she maintained.

The minister stated that the Election Commission took this decision after consulting all of the stakeholders.

There were reservations that because of one man's ego, elections were being forced on two provinces, she said.

If elections in two provinces were held on April 30, it would have created a controversy for forever...