LG polls: ECP reserves verdict on MQM-P's plea on fresh delimitations

KARACHI: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday reserved its verdict on the petition filed by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) regarding ambiguity in voter lists in Karachi and Hyderabad, ARY News reported.

A three-member ECP bench, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, announced the verdict after hearing arguments of the MQM-P and other parties.

At the outset of the hearing, the CEC told MQM-P lawyer he had been moving courts over the delimitation issue.

“Why doesn’t the MQM come up with all the issues at once,” he asked.

He remarked that the MQM-P contested 2018 elections with the same voter lists. The CEC also reprimanded the MQM lawyer for beating about the bush while submitting the arguments.

The CEC also assured MQM-Pakistan that local govt elections would be held on time as announced ECP.

During the hearing, the Sindh government sought a week to submit arguments in the case as Additional Advocate General Fauzia Zafar appeared before the ECP unprepared.

The CEC abolished the defence right of the provincial government after its lawyer showed up in the case without preparation.

It is pertinent to mention here that Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) decided to hold a protest rally on January 9 against the non-implementation of an agreement signed with the Pakistan People’s Party-led (PPP) Sindh government.

Sources told ARY News that the MQM-P has rejected the delimitations of new constituencies and voter lists ahead of local government (LG) elections, scheduled to take place on January 15.

The political party has also decided to protest against the delimitations of new constituencies. A protest rally will be carried out on January 9 over the non-implementation of agreement signed with PPP-led Sindh government