The Election Commission of Pakistan on Saturday said the local government elections in Karachi and Hyderabad would be held on Jan 15 (today) as per schedule, rejecting the demand of the Sindh government to postpone it over security threats to political leaders.
An official handout signed by the ECP spokesperson stated the ECP’s decision while directing the Sindh government to ensure “foolproof preparations for peaceful elections”.
Earlier in the morning, the Sindh government reiterated its request to the ECP, seeking a delay in the scheduled elections in Karachi and Hyderabad over “threats to various political leaders and workers of political parties” as warned by law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
Following the ECP’s direction to hold the polls today, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah expressed his concern over the “worrying situation” resulting from the differences between the political parties over the elections.
He remarked that two political parties were in the favour of holding them as schedule while two were not, adding that “a few miscreants could benefit from the [current] situation” and lead to a deterioration in the law and order situation.
