- SHC ordered for new schedule for LG polls in Karachi and Hyderabad
- The court also said that the local government should facilitate the election commission in regard to the polls
- The court rejected the plea submitted by Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) to delay the elections till the amendments in the local government laws
KARACHI: Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday ordered the Election Commission (ECP) to immediately announce new schedule for local government (LG) polls in Karachi and Hyderabad within 15 days and to hold the elections in 2 months.
The SHC reserved the decision on November 14 on the pleas submitted by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamat-e-Islami (JI) against the delay in the LG elections.
Both political parties submitted petitions against the delay in the polls and demanded a verdict from the court for immediate elections in Karachi and Hyderabad.
On the other hand, the Sindh government had been delaying the elections owing to the unavailability of the police force being deployed in the flood-affected areas.
The local government had been submitting before the court that the police personnels have been busy in the rehabilitation activities in the calamity-hit areas.
In today’s hearing, SHC ordered to issue schedule for immediate elections in Karachi and Hyderabad and also said that the local government should facilitate the election commission in regard to the polls.
“Sindh government should provide all the facilities including security to the election commission.”
On the other hand, the court rejected the plea submitted by Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) to delay the elections till the amendments in the local government laws.
Pertinently, the elections were initially scheduled for July 24, but they were delayed due to rains. Later, the polls were delayed twice i.e. August 28 and October 24 as the provincial government refrained from providing security amid the elections.
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