SHC dismisses MQMP plea against UCs delimitation

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Tuesday dismissed the petition filed by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan against the delimitation of union councils in the districts of Karachi.

MQMP leader Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and others maintained that the provincial election commission had failed to adhere to the principles laid down by the SC for conducting delimitation of constituencies for holding local government polls in Karachi.

They stated that there were certain requirements as per the Sindh LG law for declaration of towns, but those conditions had not been fulfilled. Also, the population criteria for the formation of union councils and town councils had been violated despite objections raised by the petitioners.

They submitted that the ECP did not adhere to the principles laid down for the delimitation of constituencies in Orangi Town, Shah Faisal Colony, Ibrahim Haideri and North Nazimabad areas union councils. The court was requested to direct the ECP to conduct fresh delimitation of the constituencies of union councils after taking into consideration the objections raised by the petitioners.

The SHC’s division bench, headed by Chief Justice Ahmed Ali M Sheikh, said the high court had already decided the identical petitions about the delimitation of union council constituencies, which were upheld by the apex court. For reasons to be recorded later, the court dismissed the petition.