ECP to take up Karachi LG polls case on Nov 9

KARACHI: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has decided to take up the case pertaining to local government (LG) elections in Karachi on November 9.

This was decided in a meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja. The meeting was also attended by ECP Secretary Omar Hamid Khan, Special Secretary Zafar Iqbal Hussain and other members of the commission.

The attendees were briefed about the Sindh government’s report on holding local body elections in Karachi.

In its written response, the provincial government has stated the LG elections are not possible due to the unavailability of the required police force in Sindh

It was also pointed out that additional police personnel have been sent to Islamabad at the interior ministry’s request.

The report further said that the police personnel cannot leave the flood-affected areas. Peaceful local government are not possible at this moment, the report added.

According to the Karachi police department, 37,000 police officials are required for security duties during LG polls.

Read more: SINDH EXCUSES ITSELF FROM HOLDING LG POLLS IN REPLY TO ECP

The provincial authorities said that 17,000 cops could not leave the flood-hit districts, whereas, 5,000 Sindh police officials were sent to Islamabad at the request of the interior ministry.

It is pertinent to mention here that the ECP had postponed the local government (LG) elections in Karachi scheduled for October 23. It was the third time ECP had postponed the second phase of LG polls in Sindh.