Opposition parties decry postponement of mayoral polls

Leaders of PML-N, PML-Q and MQM say ECP has made a mockery of its duties

Karachi

Lawmakers from the opposition parties talked to The News about their disappointment with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) over its decision of cancelling the election of mayors and deputy mayors, scheduled to be held later this month across the province.

A lawmaker of the Pakistan Muslim Leage-Nawaz, Irfanullah Marwat, remarked that the ECP had put on display its incompetence by cancelling the final phase of local government polls across the province on pretext that its four provincial members were about to retire.

The MPA asked why had the agency issued schedule for the last phase of the local government polls if its four provincial members were due to retire. By cancelling the last phase of local government elections the ECP had announced by its own prerogative, the ECP has made a joke of the responsibilities vested in it.

Marwat said though the elected local governments would not be empowered with important departments including the water board and building control authority under the Sindh government, completing the polls and completing the exercise are an important step towards devolution of powers.

He described the cancellation of elections of mayors and deputy mayors across the province was “unfair” to the people.

Adviser to prime minister on Sindh affairs, Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh of the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional, said the untimely notification had adversely affected empowerment of the people at the grass root level.

He remarked that the ECP, given its status and authority, should have planned ahead and foreseen the retirement plans of its four provincial chiefs. Now, he said, elections of mayors and deputy mayors will be put off again till the four members were appointed.

Meanwhile, nominated mayor of the city from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Waseem Akhtar, said the last notification of the ECP for cancelling the last phase of the local government polls had created frustration among the elected members of union committees.