ECP refuses govt’s request to postpone LG Polls in Karachi

F.P. Report

KARACHI: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has rejected the Sindh government’s request for further delay in the local body elections in Karachi Division.

The local body elections in Karachi Division are scheduled on October 23, however, the Sindh government wrote a letter to the ECP a day ago seeking postponement of the local body elections for three months in the Karachi and Hyderabad divisions.

The Sindh government claim that they are short of security personnel and logistic facilities.

It submitted that the police and other security officials are busy in providing relief to the flood affectees and it would not be possible to call in police from other cities of Sindh for the elections.

However, the ECP rejected all Sindh government’s pleas and asked it to ensure the deployment of police in the Karachi Division at any cost.

It is the responsibility of the Sindh government for maintaining law and order during the election, ECP spokesman said.

According to the sources, a meeting of the ECP high officials was held in Islamabad on Tuesday and it was decided that the local bodies’ election will be held on time.

It is pertinent that the second phase of LG polls in Sindh was originally scheduled to be held on July 24. Just days before the scheduled date, the polls were pushed for a month due to incessant monsoon rains in the province.

For the third time, following the request of the provincial government, the election commission again pushed the election from August 28 to October 23. (NNI)