No delay as NA-249 by-poll to be held on April 29, announces ECP

KARACHI: Amid calls to delay the by-poll in NA-249 by various political parties, the district returning officer (DRO) appointed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday announced that the election would be held as per the schedule on April 29, ARY NEWS reported.

The ECP has made final arrangements for the by-polls on the seat vacated by Senator Faisal Vawda on the day of his election as a member of the Upper House of the Parliament and in the next two days, the ballot papers would be handed over to the election commission.

The ECP has prepared the security and transportation plan for the election staff.

Commenting on the by-polls, DRO Syed Nadeem Haider said that the by-polls in NA-249 would be held on April 29. The candidates have been once again issued directives regarding strict implementation of the code of conduct.

Moreover, the ECP has further issued a notification, directing political parties to wind up all political activity in the constituency 48 hours before the polls and warned that anyone found violating it would be punished with imprisonment.

The by-poll in the constituency is scheduled for April 29 and the electioneering in the constituency will culminate at midnight of 27 and 28 April.

It is pertinent to mention here that major political parties including PPP, PTI and MQM-P have asked the ECP to delay the polls in the constituency citing COVID-19 situation and other reasons.

Keeping in view the recent spike in COVID-19 cases in the province, the Sindh government on Monday formally requested the ECP to postpone by-election in National Assembly constituency NA-249 Karachi.

Read More: NA-249: ECP serves show-cause notices to PPP leaders over violation of election code

In a letter to the ECP, the Sindh government urged the election body to postpone the scheduled by-poll in the concurrency until the coronavirus pandemic was brought under control.

The country was facing the third wave of the pandemic and COVID-19 cases rose by over seven per cent in Karachi and Hyderabad during the past week, read the letter.

Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Miftah Ismail and PSP’s Mustafa Kamal had, however, opposed the postponement of by-elections in letters written to the ECP.