After Much Ado

The ECP finally announces a date for the LG polls in Karachi but the MQM, the PTI don’t seem that excited

KARACHI: Mainstream political parties of Sindh have expressed mixed views about the second phase of local government elections, which were put off on three occasions in the past due to the rains and flood disaster, but have now been fixed for 15 January. These elections will be held in two administrative divisions of Sindh province, namely Karachi and Hyderabad.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) made the announcement subsequent to a Sindh High Court ruling on 18 November directing the ECP to announce election schedule within 15 days and hold the elections no later than 60 days. Subsequently, the ECP directed the top administrative and police officials of Sindh province to provide sufficient number of security personnel and polling staff for election duty. It also directed the Federal Ministry of Interior to ensure availability of security personnel from other law enforcement agencies.

Different political parties have reacted differently to this development. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P), are not satisfied with this schedule, given the country’s volatile political landscape at the moment. But Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP), which is in power in the province, and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) have reacted positively.

Bol News spoke to leaders of different parties on the issue, and their responses are printed below.

Firdous Shamim Naqvi
Senior leader of PTI

Soon after the announcement by ECP, a minister of Sindh government has claimed that a number of activists of a party have joined PPP. This statement is aimed at triggering the sale and purchase of voters and candidates. Secondly, a controversial ECP postponed these elections three times, and since it cannot postpone them further given the court orders, it will not let them be fair and transparent. This is because ECP is the B-team of PPP in Sindh. Thirdly, a candidate spends somewhere between Rs 500,000-600,000 on an election campaign. Given the three postponements, most upright and honest candidates will have run out of money, putting those with ill-gotten wealth at an advantage. These candidates, if they win, will only focus on making more money to refill their coffers.

I have written a letter to the ECP, raising these concerns. Political scenario might be change by 15 January. If I raise more concerns, allegations will be leveled against me that I am quitting these elections, which I will not, because every election is a referendum for my party.

Mohammad Rehan Hashmi
A leader of MQM-P

MQM-P always calls for elections on time and is opposed to delays. But this time there is a big question mark over the ECP. The elections should have been conducted within three months., but ECP has been in hibernation for two years and has not acted on a single demand of MQM-P. Fresh delimitations of the constituencies in Karachi have not been done. And the Sindh Local Government laws pertaining to the administrative and financial responsibilities have not been streamlined. This means that the upcoming mayors of Karachi and Hyderabad will remain powerless for the next four years. As such, the present elections are a futile exercise.

The ECP must fulfill these demands before the LG polls are held. Elections must be held as per the Constitutions so that the elected representatives are able to serve their voters in the right way. Wrongful delimitations of constituencies and delayed amendment to the law amount to pre-poll rigging.

Hussain Mehanti
Head of JI Sindh

It is really sad that the government and the ECP postponed these elections three times. Democratic countries across the world never fail to hold elections on time, even if there’s a war going on, or there are terrorist attacks, or a pandemic like Covid-19 breaks out.

The ECP is in league with the PPP government and is obeying its diktats instead of going ahead and holding transparent elections. If it cannot make arrangements for an election, why does its staff enjoy all the official facilities? Sindh has lagged behind Punjab and other provinces in terms of development. Ironically, the PPP-led Sindh government has continued to enjoy the perks and privileges of power since 1970.

Hafiz Naeemur Rehman
Head of JI Karachi

JI stressed the need to hold elections as soon as possible, but the ECP kept postponing them on grounds that Sindh government was not able to deploy enough security staff on polling day. I think the concerned officials of Sindh government should be fired forthwith for this negligence.

Now the ECP must show its seriousness and announce deployment of military and paramilitary personnel around the polling stations. This is necessary, because Sindh police is the B-Team of the PPP government.

Even the PTI was happy with the election delays earlier. PPP and MQM-P still remain reluctant to go into elections. Only the JI is asking for rights of the Karachiites and those of the people of Hyderabad division to be safeguarded through elections.

Senator Taj Haider

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Senior PPP leader

At the moment, Sindh police are engaged in controlling dacoits in flooded areas and maintaining law and order in Islamabad because of the political crisis there. But police will be back in January. Flood waters will have drained out by then. The Sindh government is poised to hold elections as per the directives of the ECP.

Sindh government was ready for the elections earlier, but it wanted them to be held in phases due to shortages of police manpower. So it asked the ECP to give it three months for the second phase of elections because of the unprecedented rains and floods. The ECP has powers to hold elections, but it is the government that has to conduct the gigantic exercise.