ECP huddle to discuss LG polls in Karachi today

ISLAMABAD: On the request of the Sindh government for postponement of local government elections in Karachi, the Election Commission of Pakistan will take a decision today.

In this regard, the ECP held a meeting under the chair of its chief Sikandar Sultan Raja on Monday to deliberate upon the possibility of holding local bodies polls in Karachi. Senior ECP officials as well as Secretary Interior Yousaf Nasim Khokar also attended the meeting.

The electoral watchdog received a third request from the Sindh government, seeking postponement of the LG polls despite the fact that the ECP had earlier rejected two similar requests.

The Sindh government sought the postponement of LG elections in the metropolis under the pretext of a shortage of as many as 16,000 security personnel.

Given the situation, the ECP directed the interior ministry to inform the commission by Tuesday if it could make up the shortfall. In light of the ministry’s response, the ECP will make a final decision during Tuesday’s ( today) meeting.

It is pertinent to mention that the Secretary of Defence has already expressed his inability to provide the services of the Army and the Rangers personnel for the local government polls in Karachi.

In the latest letter written by the Sindh government to the ECP, the Sindh government said Karachi being the most populous division of the country, therefore, needs extensive arrangements during elections in view of grass-root level politics and voter mood.

It added around 5,000 polling stations will be set up for the local government elections. Of them, 1,305 were already classified as highly sensitive and 3,688 as sensitive given the specific history of the city and past elections. As many as 39,293 police personnel would be required to hold the LG polls in Karachi. However, the province has only 22,507 police personnel at its disposal thus facing a shortfall of 16,786 security personnel.