Sindh govt seeks delay in Karachi LG polls for fourth time

KARACHI: The Sindh cabinet on Friday approved a proposal seeking adjournment of local government (LG) polls in Karachi by three more months, it emerged on Friday.

The cabinet approved the proposal under Sindh Local Govt. Act 2013 through a circulation summary.

The provincial government also wrote a letter to the election body for postponing the by-polls for three more months.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will take up the case pertaining to local government (LG) elections in Karachi and Hyderabad on Nov. 15.

Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab will appear before ECP on behalf of the provincial government. The Karachi administrator will brief the electoral body regarding the law and order situation in the port city.

Nisar Khuhro will represent Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in tomorrow’s meeting while former law minister Farogh Naseem and Waseem Akhtar would appear before EP as MQM-P representatives.

In its written response, the provincial government earlier stated the LG elections are not possible due to the unavailability of the required police force in Sindh

It was also pointed out that additional police personnel have been sent to Islamabad at the interior ministry’s request.

The report further said that the police personnel cannot leave the flood-affected areas. Peaceful local government are not possible at this moment, the report added.

According to the Karachi police department, 37,000 police officials are required for security duties during LG polls.

Read more: SINDH EXCUSES ITSELF FROM HOLDING LG POLLS IN REPLY TO ECP

The provincial authorities said that 17,000 cops could not leave the flood-hit districts, whereas, 5,000 Sindh police officials were sent to Islamabad at the request of the interior ministry.

It is pertinent to mention here that the ECP had postponed the local government (LG) elections in Karachi scheduled for October 23. It was the third time ECP had postponed the second phase of LG polls in Sindh.