Islamabad | Pakistan's election commission is likely to announce the schedule for the February 8 general elections on Sunday, media reports said here on Thursday.

“The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will announce the election schedule on December 17 and the nomination papers will be submitted on the next day of the schedule's announcement,” a Geo News report said.

It said the electoral watchdog will take 54 days to complete the process to finally hold balloting for the provincial and national assemblies on February 8.

Quoting the Commission sources, the news report said the ECP was fully prepared to hold “free, fair and transparent elections” in the country and “no doubt should be left to hold polls according to the announced date.” The ECP is providing training to 142 district returning officers and 859 returning officers. It has also imposed a ban on transfers and postings of deputy commissioners throughout the country.

Only the Senate of Pakistan is in existence while the National Assembly and four provincial legislatures will come into being after the February 8 general elections. These are being run by interim governments as of now.