JI asks ECP to complete LG poll process

The Karachi chapter chief of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, has announced a campaign titled ‘Complete LG polls’ to pressurise the authorities into completing the electoral process in Karachi to make the city’s local government setup active.

He announced the campaign at a press conference held at the Idara Noor-e-Haq, the Karachi JI headquarters, on Wednesday. He said that even after the passage of 31 days after the local government elections, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had failed to announce the schedule for the by-elections in 11 remaining union committees (UCs) in Karachi where the polls had been deferred.

He told the press conference that the JI would hold a big protest on New MA Jinnah Road on February 19 over the issue of incomplete local government elections in Karachi. He explained that the JI leadership was also considering the option of a train march to Islamabad and a sit-in outside the ECP head office in the federal capital.

Rehman demanded that the ECP announce the schedule for by-polls in the remaining UCs, notify and administer oath to successful candidates and decide the pending cases before it. He asked the chief election commissioner (CEC) to defy all pressures and fulfil his constitutional obligations. The election commissioner had talked about the pressure he had been facing but did not reveal those who were trying to pressurise him, he added.

The JI leader asked the CEC to name and shame those trying to manipulate the results of the local government elections in Karachi. He highlighted that the ECP had announced the schedule for practically useless by-elections in the country but it was unable to announce a schedule for the local government polls in only 11 UCs of Karachi.

Rehman was of the view that the ECP had held local government polls in Karachi despite pressure against them, and the JI among others had hailed the role of the body in this regard. However, he maintained, the role of the ECP had become dubious after January 15. He urged the ECP to decide the cases of six UCs it had taken up, instead of playing delaying tactics by announcing one hearing after another.

Talking about the current issues being faced by the people of Karachi, Rehman demanded of that the government address the issue of massive traffic jams due to closure of roads in connection with cricket matches in the city.

He said that blocking roads on the pretext of security of matches was tantamount to contempt of court and suggested that the government host matches at stadiums in DHA and Bahria Town as they met the international standards and matches at those venues would less affect the masses.

The JI leader also warned the government against helping the K-Electric. He demanded that the authorities make the company payback Rs50 billion clawback. Rehman held the Pakistan Peoples Party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan for facilitating the KE and its owners despite what he said their corrupt practices.

He also demanded resolution of the issues of the University of Karachi (KU), Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology, and other universities. He maintained that the JI did not support the teachers’ strike at the KU but the party fully supported the demands by the teachers.