By Staff Reporter
KARACHI: A key ally in collation government announced a boycott of local polls in southern Sindh province, scheduled today, after election authorities had rejected its complaint on the delimitations in constituencies.
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) said it will boycott a long-awaited second phase of the local bodies’ elections being held in seven districts of Sindh — including in Karachi and Hyderabad.
The MQM-P announced the boycott just hours before the polls.
The party’s statement came after it had demanded new delimitation before holding the local body elections. Despite the Sindh government’s assurance that the polls would be postponed, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) persisted in holding them on January 15.
Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Karachi-based MQM-P’s chief alleged that the local government elections have already been rigged”. As a result, we refuse to recognise the polls,” Siddiqui told a news conference.
“The election commission was formed to conduct the polls in a transparent manner. However, the election commission has not fulfilled its responsibility towards its main function. The party protested this injustice.”
Siddiqui said the provincial government also drew the ECP’s attention to the delimitations of the constituencies, “but, the ECP turned a deaf ear to all requests of MQM-P and Pakistan People’s Party”.
The MQM-P leader urged citizens to stay at home and take part in the protest.
The ECP on Saturday rejected the PPP-led Sindh government’s request to delay local polls and said the elections in Karachi and Hyderabad will be held as per schedule on January 15.
An official handout signed by the ECP spokesperson announced the electoral body’s decision while ordering the Sindh government to ensure “foolproof preparations for peaceful elections.”
The Sindh government had twice requested the ECP to delay the local government elections in Karachi and Hyderabad citing “threats to various political leaders and workers of political parties.”
The second round of local government elections was scheduled to take place on July 24 last year, but the Sindh government refused to hold the polls on the lack of security and police presence due to the last year’s flooding.
The controversial delimitations have been the bone of contention between MQM-P and the PPP since December last year when they were implemented.
MQM-P and other opposition parties challenged the move in the Sindh High Court, but the petition was dismissed. MQM-P then approached the Supreme Court.
Copyright © 2021 Independent Pakistan | All rights reserved
