MQM-P moves SHC to become intervener in plea against LG polls delay

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has filed an application to the Sindh High Court (SHC) for becoming an intervener in the petitions filed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) against consecutive postponement of the local government elections in Karachi and Hyderabad by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Filing an application before the SHC on Saturday, MQM-P leader and former Karachi mayor Wasim Akhtar submitted that the MQM-P was also a party in various cases about delimitations of the local bodies constituencies in various districts of Karachi.

The applicant’s counsel Tariq Mansoor submitted that the deliberation of stakeholders including the MQM-P with the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party was in process wherein the first phase of the process for implementation of the Supreme Court’s direction for legislation of local government laws had been completed and the remaining process was under way for smooth transition and transfer of powers to local government.

He submitted that various issues pertaining to delimitations of union councils, voters lists and election provisions had remained pending till date and in case the local bodies polls were held without hearing the MQM-P, there was a serious apprehension that the applicant’s right secured under the articles 17, 25 and 10A of the Constitution would be violated.

He submitted that the main petitioners seemed to be unaware of the concrete facts of the case and if the MQM-P was allowed to become an intervener in the case, it was likely that an amicable and acceptable solution would be reached acceptable to all the stakeholders.

The high court was requested to allow the applicant to become an intervener in the case as necessary and proper party to assist the court for settling all the questions involved in the instant subject petitions.

It is pertinent to mention that the SHC has taken serious exception to the delay in holding of the local bodies elections in Karachi and Hyderabad by the ECP on the grounds of lack of security. In a recent hearing, the high court directed the advocate general to submit details of police and Rangers deployment in the province.

During the hearing of petitions filed by the JI and PTI against consecutive deferment of the local government elections in Karachi, a division bench of the SHC headed by Chief Justice Ahmed Ali M Sheikh asked an ECP law officer why the local bodies elections were being postponed.

The court directed the advocate general to submit details with regard to total strength of the police and Rangers personnel in the province along with their current deployments as well as the number of such personnel who could be assigned duty in respect of the local bodies elections.

The JI and PTI had submitted in the petitions that the term of the last local bodies had expired in August 2020, but instead of holding the elections, the Sindh government appointed administrators throughout the province.

They submitted that the provincial government was reluctant to hold the local bodies elections and it had deliberately delayed the delimitation process by not providing suggestions, details and required maps for the delimitation of union committees as per the local government law and the 2017 election Act.

They submitted that the ECP under the constitution was bound to conduct the local government polls within 120 days after the end of the previous local bodies’ term.

They submitted that the ECP’s decision with regard to the postponement of the polls in Karachi was arbitrary and the provincial government was not interested in holding the elections in the Karachi division in order to retain its control over the authorities and resources of its municipal institutions. The high court was requested to direct the ECP to conduct the local bodies polls in Karachi without any further delay.