ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday reserved its judgment on the case of repeated postponement of Local Government elections in Karachi.
A five-member bench headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja heard LG polls postponement case, saying that the commission will soon announce its reserved decision, a decision that could come into force.
Administrator Karachi Murtaza Wahab said that the first phase of the local polls in Sindh have been completed, “while in Karachi we are ready to hold elections in two phases”.
Murtaza Wahab said the Sindh government was unable to hold elections currently. “It is our responsibility to hold elections, you have taken this power from us,” CEC remarked. “Under which rule you have amended the local government law,” ECP member Ikramullah Khan asked.
“It is not possible to provide security forces and administrative staff for the elections in Karachi. “About 1,300 polling stations in Karachi are sensitive, and every station requires eight officials,” said Wahab.
Member ECP said what the Sindh government wanted. Murtaza said the provincial government has approved postponement of LG polls for 90 days.
According to rules announcing elections was the right of Sindh government and the provincial government will announce holding elections in consultation with the election commission. Sindh Chief Secretary said due to floods, the deployment of 17,000 security personnel in Karachi was impossible.
IG Sindh Police also backed the government’s stance to put off local government elections. “Any untoward incident could happen, we have a shortage of 17,000 personnel,” he said. “We can hold election on the order of the election commission but will face security issues,” IG Sindh said.
ECP special secretary Zafar Iqbal said that the LG polls were postponed due to floods in the province. Sindh government has already approved postponement of LG polls for 90 more days.
He said the ECP was ready to hold elections in Karachi. Supreme Court has also ordered holding elections in Sindh.
Zafar Iqbal said in light of the Supreme Court’s orders local bodies’ elections should be held at the earliest. “Delay in the local bodies polls is a violation of the top court’s order,” the secretary said.
The ECP secretary asked the Ministry of Interior about the position of Frontier Corps (FC) and Pakistan Rangers for the provision of security and maintenance of law-and-order situation during the local government polls.
Interior ministry official said “We are not in a position to fulfil the security needs of the local government elections,” the official said. “The situation does not allow us to deploy civil armed forces at these elections”.
Jamat-e-Islami Amir, Karachi Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman, Representative of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Murtaza Wahab and leader of Mutahidda Quomi Movement (MQM) Wasim Akhtar, Inspector General Polic, Sindh, Chief Secretay, Sindh, Secretary Local bodies were present.
PTI lawyer Shahab Imam said, despite passage of 10 months to Supreme Court’s decision to hold LG polls. Sindh government don’t want to devolve powers to lower level. Sindh government has sent 6,000 personnel to Islamabad to stop long march, but refusing to provide security to elections.
