Oct 13(ABC): The Sindh government on Wednesday seemed to accept the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) directives to hold local government elections in the metropolitan center of Karachi later this month. But it has suggested holding them in phases.
The Sindh Services, General Administration and Coordination Department Section Officer Faiz Ahmed Pitafi wrote to the provincial election commissioner regarding the second phase of local government elections for Karachi Division on Wednesday.
The letter, reiterated the provincial government’s stance and again urged the ECP to reconsider holding local government elections in Karachi on October 23.
Pitafi said that the provincial government might not be in a position to provide adequate security required for holding free and fair elections in the city.
“This request was made in view of the recent flood due to which a large number of police force is busy with flood relief efforts, and it is not possible to pull them out for election-related duties,” he wrote.
The section officer urged ECP to postpone polls for another three months so that an adequate number of police and other auxiliary forces can be mobilized for holding the elections “in a free and fair manner.”
With the ECP already rebuffing requests from the provincial government and the federal government to postpone elections, the Sindh government suggested a middle way out.
“If Election Commission of Pakistan does not decide to postpone the elections, it is requested that local government elections in Karachi division may be held in two phases,” Pitafi suggested.
“Elections may be conducted in first phase in three districts of Karachi,” he wrote.
“Elections in remaining four districts of Karachi may be held subsequently in second phase.”
Splitting the elections, the official said, would help the provincial government in concentrating available resources and ensure peaceful and transparent conduct of local government elections in Karachi.
Earlier, the ECP had twice postponed local government elections in the province due to floods.