LG polls: Hafiz Naeemur Rehman says JI to foil conspiracies against Karachi

KARACHI: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said that JI will foil all conspiracies of the rulers against the metropolis by postponing local government (LG) polls, ARY News reported on Friday.

While addressing an election rally in Karachi, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said that JI forced the administration to surrender. He said that the government is hatching conspiracy to deprive Karachiites of their right to elect their LG representatives.

He said that JI will foil all conspiracies against the Karachiites and it will also fight a legal battle if the Sindh government brings an ordinance to interrupt the LG elections.

He alleged that MQM sold muhajirs in the Sindh LG Act in 2013. He added that Asif Ali Zardari cannot stop JI from getting mandate from the Karachi citizens.

Hafiz Naeem said that JI is the only solution to Karachi issues. He vowed that the JI mayor will work more than its powers and continue struggle to get more powers from the government.

Earlier, the JI Karachi chief, while talking to the ARY News programme ‘The Reporters’, said that a conspiracy is underway to postpone the LG polls in Karachi. He said that not a single political party is favouring the LG elections in the metropolis.

He questioned how LG polls can be postponed on the demand of a political party. He vowed that JI will hold protests and approach courts if the government postpones the LG polls once again.

Earlier in the day, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) rejected Sindh government’s notification to postpone the second phase of LG polls in Sindh and ruled that the local bodies elections in Karachi and Hyderabad will be held as per schedule on January 15.

Rejecting Sindh government notification and request, the ECP has directed Interior Ministry to ensure the deployment of Rangers and Army on highly sensitive polling stations in Karachi and Hyderabad.

Later, the Sindh government also announced to hold the local government (LG) polls on January 15, 2023.