PML-Q raises objections to Sindh delimitations

KARACHI: After Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P), Pakistan Muslim League Quaid (PML-Q) has also raised objections to new delimitations of Sindh, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

PML-Q Sindh President Tariq Hassan demanded Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) to remove the Sindh election commissioner.

He also announced to approach the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to submit objections to the new delimitations of 10 to 15 constituencies in Sindh.

“All political parties have objections to the Sindh delimitations. Our lawyers have prepared documents to submit objections to the ECP. The commission is bound to listen to objections being raised by all political parties, otherwise, the forthcoming general elections would become controversial.”

Hassan also demanded the ECP to ensure peaceful environment for general polls. The PML-Q Sindh president urged the caretaker government to write letter to the ECP.

Related: MQM-P to hold power show on Jan 21

He hinted at holding protests if PML-Q’s reservations were not addressed.

Yesterday, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) demanded the chief election commissioner (CEC) to remove the Sindh EC.

Sources told ARY News that the MQM-P delegation held discussions with the CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja at the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) headquarters in Islamabad.

The delegation members include MQM-P convenor Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Dr Farooq Sattar, Aminul Haque and others.

The political party discussed its reservations on the new delimitations including the constituencies in Karachi’s Malir, Keamari, Baldia and Korangi.

The MQM-P delegation also raised objections to merging rural and urban areas in several Sindh cities including Hyderabad, Sukkur, Mirpur Khas and Nawabshah.

MQM-P leaders demanded CEC to take suo-motu action on the objections raised to the new delimitations. They also demanded CEC to remove the Sindh election commissioner and expressed lack of confidence on him ahead of the general elections.

Sources added that MQM-P decided to approach the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to challenge the new constituency list issued by the ECP.

The CEC assured MQM-P delegation of addressing the complaints at the earliest.

On Dec 1, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued the final constituency list containing the number of National Assembly (NA) and the Provincial Assembly (PA) seats.

The ECP spokesperson said in a statement that two special tribunals wrapped up 1,324 objections to the delimitations. There will be 266 NA and 593 PA seats across Pakistan.