LG polls’ postponement: ECP apologises to JI over false statement

KARACHI: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has apologised to Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) over making false statement regarding the postponement of the local government (LG) elections, ARY News reported on Monday.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had given a statement that Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) sought postponement of the LG polls scheduled on July 24 via a letter.

The ECP’s statement led JI to send a legal notice to the commission, stating that the letter was written to postpone the NA-245 by-polls.

The JI demanded the election commission formally tender an apology or face a Rs500 million suit. The commission tendered an apology to the JI through a letter to the political party’s lawyer Saifuddin.

READ: MONSOON RAINS: ECP DECIDES TO POSTPONE LG POLLS IN SINDH

In July, the JI had sent a Rs500 million legal notice to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for accusing the party of filing an application for postponement of second phase of local government (LG) elections in Sindh.

The notice was served by Jamaat-e-Islami’s Public Aid Committee.

The party, in its notice, stated that Jamaat-e-Islami had filed a petition in the Sindh High Court (SHC) for LG polls. “No other party filed the application in this regard”, the Public Aid Committee noted.

The notice pointed out that the Pakistan People’s Party- led (PPP) Sindh government stood against the holding of elections. “Other political stakeholders in Sindh demanded the postponement of LG elections,” it added.

READ: SHC SEEKS REPLY FROM ECP IN SINDH LG POLLS POSTPONEMENT CASE

Earlier, the ECP said it was unethical for the Jamaat-e-Islami to hold a sit-in outside the office of the Election Commission in Karachi after having applied for a delay in the holding of the second phase of local government elections in Sindh.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) rescheduled the second phase of the Sindh local government (LG) elections citing “possible rains and bad weather” in the province.