MQM-P slams ECP for not addressing delimitation concerns

ISLAMABAD: Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) has slammed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for failing to address concerns regarding delimitation as the country gears up for elections on February 8 next year.

"The ECP resolved the issues raised by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in Sindh but failed to address the concerns of other parties," said MQM-P Convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui on Monday while speaking to journalists after meeting with Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja in Islamabad.

A delegation of MQM-P, led by Siddiqui, met with CEC Raja today to discuss the issues being faced by the party regarding the upcoming general elections — slated to take place on February 8 next year.

The MQM-P leader said that the party expects a lot from the chief election commissioner, however, he does not believe that the issues will be resolved.

Siddiqui said that Sindh has been divided into two parts politically, administratively, and electorally, adding that the crisis in the country will intensify if ECP and the caretaker government in Sindh fail to ensure transparent elections.

"Provincial election commissioner is a sworn worker of PPP and he is doing anything he can for the party," claimed the MQM-P convener. He further said that there was no caretaker government in Sindh as all the matters were being handled by the former ministers in the province.

"Caretaker government is protecting the PPP's interests and the CM house is the centre for protecting the PPP's interests," he alleged, adding that the party will not agree to ECP accepting all concerns raised by PPP over constituencies.

MQM-P leader Farooq Sattar said that the ECP had accepted the objections by the PPP but made the matter of delimitation of constituencies worse which was raised by his party.

"None of our objections regarding the delimitation were accepted. We have a seat in Karachi's Baldia Town," said Sattar. He added that Saeedabad, which is a part of the Baldia Town constituency, has been included in the Keamari constituency under the new delimitation.

Sattar said that their only hope is the chief election commissioner or the party will move the Islamabad High Court (IHC). He also blamed the PPP for seizing the resources of Sindh and alleged it was involved in the corruption of trillion of rupees.