LG polls: Hafiz Naeem hints at sit-in ‘if results not released within 1 hour’

KARACHI: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has announced to hold sit-ins across the metropolis if the election authorities fail to release the results of the local government (LG) polls within one hour, ARY News reported on Sunday.

While addressing a press conference, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said that hurdles were created in the LG polls earlier and now difficulties are being created in releasing the election results.

The JI chief gave a one-hour ultimatum to the election authorities for releasing the complete LG results, otherwise, the political party will start staging protests and sit-ins across the metropolis.

He slammed returning officers (ROs) and deputy returning officers (DROs) for not releasing the election results. Naeem said that JI will not let anyone snatch the mandate of the Karachiites. He added that JI will announce its next strategy in an hour.

“Despite conspiracies, LG polls are conducted and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) emerges as a strong political party in Karachi. The organisation of LG elections is the victory of Jamaat-e-Islami.”

He said that the government created a scenario to spread confusion among the citizens regarding the LG polls but JI did not let it flee from the elections.

Unofficial and unconfirmed results started pouring in after polling concluded largely peacefully in 16 districts of Sindh during the second phase of local government (LG) polls today.

The second phase of the Sindh local government (LG) polls in 16 districts remained largely peaceful except for some minor clashes reported in different localities.

Counting votes is underway after polling ended in the second phase of local government elections in 16 districts, however, all eyes are on the results of the Karachi and Hyderabad divisions.

According to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the polling started at 8 am and continued till 5 pm uninterrupted.

The polling process remained slow, and voters present inside polling stations were allowed to cast their votes beyond the 5 pm deadline.