Sindh govt requests ECP to postpone LG polls again

KARACHI: The Sindh government has once again requested the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to postpone Karachi local government (LG) polls, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

In a letter to the provincial election commissioner, the Sindh government requested to postpone Karachi LG polls for at least three months. The provincial government also offered the ECP to conduct the Karachi LG polls in two phases.

It stated that the LG polls should be held in three districts in the first phase and in the second phase, elections should be organised in remaining four districts.

The Sindh government said that concerned officials were unavailable due to relief activities in the flood-affected areas of the province.

It added that the provincial chief secretary and the Inspector General (IG) apprised the ECP officials regarding the unavailability of the concerned officials for election duties.

On October 11, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced that by-elections on seven National Assembly (NA) seats and local body elections in Karachi would take place as per schedule.

In a statement, the ECP said that by-elections for the seats of National and provincial assemblies will be held on October 16, while the second phase of local body elections in Karachi would take place on October 23.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the ECP chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja in Islamabad.

The constituencies where by-polls will be held include NA-22 Mardan, NA-24 Charsadda, NA-31 Peshawar, NA-108 Faisalabad, NA-118 Nankana Sahib, NA-237 Malir and NA-239 Korangi Karachi.

However, the by-election in NA-45 Kurram has been postponed due to law and order situation, the ECP said, adding that a new schedule would be announced later.

The meeting also discussed the second phase of local government elections in Sindh province and decided that polling in all districts of Karachi Division will be held as per schedule on October 23.