The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has rejected the Sindh government’s request to delay the local bodies polls in Karachi and Hyderabad, saying the elections in Karachi and Hyderabad will be held on Jan 15 (tomorrow) as per schedule.
An official handout signed by the ECP spokesperson stated the ECP’s decision while directing the Sindh government to ensure “foolproof preparations for peaceful elections”.
Earlier, The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) government in Sindh had once again asked the ECP to postpone local bodies polls citing the law-and-order situation and terror threats.
In response to a demand from their coalition partner, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan, the provincial government had stated on Friday that the eagerly anticipated local body elections would not take place.
Later that day, however, the ECP rejected the Sindh government’s request and decided that the twice-delayed elections will take place on January 15 as scheduled.
The situation took an ugly turn when Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon, soon after the ECP’s announcement, contended that the electoral body could not reject the provincial government’s decision to postpone local government elections in the two cities.
In a letter to the ECP Saturday, less than 24 hours before the polling, the provincial authorities cited input from the intelligence agencies regarding terror threats and “reiterated the request that the 2nd Phase of local government elections to the extent of Karachi Division and Hyderabad District be postponed till such time that the required security is available at the polling stations.”
The letter stated that the ECP, in its January 13 order, gave “no response to the concerns of the provincial government regarding the non-availability of Pakistan Army and civil armed forces” for the smooth conduct of polls.
It added that a meeting was held at the office of the chief secretary on Friday which was also attended by the ECP secretary as well as senior officers of law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
