Karachi local government elections postponed for the third time

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has postponed for the third time the local government elections in Karachi scheduled for October 23.

The LG polls have been postponed, with the ECP saying that it will review the situation in the next 15 days.

A meeting was held under the chairmanship of the chief election commissioner in which local body elections in Karachi were considered.

According to the ECP, a meeting was held with the secretary of the Ministry of Interior a day back over the local body elections in Karachi. The Ministry of Interior was asked to ensure the provision of army and Rangers personnel for the peaceful conduct of the elections.

The Ministry of Interior informed that there was a lack of police personnel due to floods and because of that, law enforcers cannot perform their duty at polling stations.

“The ECP made every effort to hold local bodies polls in Karachi and a meeting was held with the secretary interior a day prior in this regard,” the ECP said.

“The ECP had no option but to postpone the local government elections in Karachi for the time being," the commission said.

The Sindh government had informed the electoral body that there is a shortage of 16,785 personnel and recommended that the federal government be requested to fulfil the requirement from the army and Rangers.

It also requested to the postponement of the polls for another three months.