Karachi LG polls results: ECP takes notice of JI’s complaints

KARACHI: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has taken notice of Jamaat-e-Islami’s (JI) complaints regarding irregularities in the results of Karachi local government (LG) polls, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) took notice of JI’s complaints regarding the manipulation of the results in six union councils (UCs) after the Karachi LG polls. The commission fixed the hearing of the complaints regarding six UCs for January 23.

Earlier, JI registered complaints to the ECP regarding irregularities in the results of six union councils including Orangi Town’s UC-3 in District West, Orangi Town’s UC-7 in District West, Orangi Town’s UC-8 in District West, Mominabad’s UC-3 in District West, Manghopir’s UC-12 in District West and Gulshan-e-Iqbal’s UC-1 in District East.

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The commission will hear the complaint on January 23. Notices were issued to the provincial election commissioner Sindh, concerned district returning officers (DROs), returning officers (ROs) and candidates who secured first and second positions.

Yesterday, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has announced to block the roads across the country if the mandate of Karachiites is stolen after the local government (LG) polls.

While addressing a sit-in outside a Deputy Returning Officer (DRO) office in District West, the JI Karachi chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said, “We will block the roads across the country if it is needed. We have won majority seats in Karachi in the recent LG polls.”

“Even if Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) spends 100 years, it cannot get a majority in Karachi. PPP’s conduct and the style of politics are based on Karachi enmity.”

READ: PPP READY TO FORM LOCAL GOVT IN KARACHI WITH JI: SAEED GHANI

He slammed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for failing to address the complaints.

He said, “The returning officers (ROs) changed the LG polls results under the nose of the Election Commissioner [Sindh]. How can we say that the election commissioner is performing his duties properly when ROs are manipulating the results?”

Hafiz Naeem said that the election commissioner should tell people if he is unable to take any action due to pressure.

“Protests are staged across the country after the manipulation of results of Karachi LG polls. The whole country is standing beside the mini-Pakistan. If anyone tries to steal our mandate, we would jam the roads across the country if it is needed.”