After Hyderabad, ECP postpones LG polls in Karachi

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Wednesday postponed the local government (LG) elections in Karachi Division, keeping in view the weather conditions, non-availability of security personnel who are busy in flood-hit areas and issues related to logistics.

The new date for the LG polls will be announced once the weather conditions improve, the ECP announced. The electoral body had on August 23 already postponed the second phase of LG elections in nine districts, including six districts of Hyderabad electoral region and three districts of Badin region.

The reports of Chief Secretary, IGP, Provincial Election Commissioner, Sindh, weather conditions, factors of non-availability of law and order agencies during the election, provision of logistics, public interest and convenience of voters were kept in mind while taking the decision to put off the proposed polls in Karachi.

Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja presided over an ECP meeting, which was attended by the members of the commission, ECP secretary and senior officials of the commission while Provincial Election Commissioner, Sindh, was part of the meeting through video link.

The ECP secretary briefed the forum about the conduct of the second phase of LG elections in the province. The meeting also discussed the LG elections in the Karachi Division.

Referring to the report of DG Meteorological Department, the ECP secretary said that there was forecast of heavy rains in Karachi from August 24 to August 26, 2022 and there are chances of rains on August 27 and 28, the polling day.

The ECP secretary informed the meeting that chief secretary and IGP Sindh have informed in writing that all the administration, police and other security agencies were engaged in relief operations of flood victims in the province.

The meeting was told that law enforcement agencies are needed to maintain law and order during these relief operations in the more-affected areas, besides the movement of police is not possible in these circumstances.

Sindh IGP said in his report that about 50,000 police personnel were to be deployed for the elections of Karachi Division, out of which 33,000 were present in Karachi and the remaining 16,000 personnel were to be brought from interior Sindh to ensure peaceful elections.

In the current flood situation, he pointed out, additional police force from interior Sindh can no longer be deployed in Karachi for the LG elections. Other law enforcement agencies, including Rangers, who were supposed to perform duties at the most sensitive polling stations along with the police, and the Pakistan Army, which was supposed to provide third tier support, are now engaged in relief operations, so it will not be possible for the Rangers and Pakistan Army to join hands with the police during the elections.

The Provincial Election Commissioner briefed the commission that there would be other logistic issues besides transporting polling material and polling staff, especially women polling staff. There will also be serious problems in transporting 63,000 polling staff at 4,900 polling stations in Karachi elections. He requested that the elections of Karachi Division be postponed for the time being.