Karachi mayor polls: PTI issues strict orders for UC chairmen

KARACHI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has issued strict orders for its elected Union Council (UC) chairmen and vice chairmen to vote for the PTI and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) joint candidate Hafiz Naeemur Rehman in the upcoming Karachi mayor polls, ARY News reported on Monday.

The PTI spokesperson said in a statement that the party leadership announced to support for JI in the Karachi mayor polls.

It added that all elected local government (LG) representatives are bound to vote for Hafiz Naeemur Rehman as per the party instructions. The political party will take legal action against those who violate the party instructions, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said that the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) should stop using tactics to elect its mayor in Karachi by using backdoor.

READ: Hafiz Naeem says feudal lords want to control Karachi’s mandate

Earlier in the day, more than 30 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) UC chairmen and vice chairmen announced not to take part in upcoming elections for Karachi mayor and deputy mayor.

Over 30 PTI UC chairmen and vice chairmen held a session in Karachi and decided not to participate in elections for the Karachi mayor and deputy mayor on June 15. They announced not to vote in favour of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) mayor candidate Hafiz Naeemur Rehman.

It emerged that PTI UC chairmen will remain absent on voting day. The UC chairmen said that they knew the ground realities in Karachi and that the elected local government (LG) representatives have the right to make decisions independently.

“The local leaders took decisions without holding consultations with them and they are not agreeing with the decisions of the office bearers of the PTI Karachi Division.

They added, “JI has taken advantage of the current situation and elected its representatives on the reserved seats. We are not facing any kind of pressure nor accept it in the future.”

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had announced to unconditionally support JI’s candidate for Karachi mayor after the LG polls.