Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami’s (JI) Karachi chapter Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman on Sunday threatened to stage sit-ins across Karachi if the results of the much-awaited second phase of local body elections in Sindh were not announced on time, Aaj News reported.
The warning comes amid an unusual delay in the announcement of the results, which were expected to come out by 10 pm as per media reports. The voting began in 16 districts of the province at 8 am and continued till 5 pm without any break.
Addressing a press conference in Karachi, Naeem said that the presiding officers were bound to give Forms 11 and 12 as per law but some Deputy Commissioners working in favour of the PPP-led Sindh government were interfering in the process.
Polling ends, vote-count underway for Karachi, Hyderabad LG polls
He said that his party had not been provided with the forms even after 10 pm.
"If the forms are not provided in the next one hour and the ROs do not announce the results, there will be sit-ins across the city," he warned, adding that the party would announce its strategy after consultation.
The JI leader urged party workers and people to surround the polling stations. "We will not allow rigging and let them steal our mandate," he said.
He further said that JI will congratulate whoever comes out victorious but interfering in the results was unacceptable.
Low turnout a proof people of Karachi rejected 'rigged' LG polls: MQM-P
Sindh LG polls
The ECP set up a total of 8857 polling stations for the second phase of LG polls while 17863 candidates are contesting the polls.
Around 8,153 of the polling stations were declared ‘sensitive’ or ‘highly sensitive’.
A total of 830 candidates were elected unopposed in 16 districts of two divisions, including seven in Karachi, and 823 in the Hyderabad division.
All educational institutions in Karachi and Hyderabad remained closed on Saturday in connection with the preparations for the local bodies’ elections.
“The public and private institutions under the Administration of School Education and Literacy Department of respective districts remained closed on Saturday,” a notification issued by the School Education and Literacy Department said.
Meanwhile, in a tweet, PTI Chief Imran Khan urged people to come out and vote for their representatives.
“Their vote today is essential if they want to change their lives,” he added.
The ECP on Friday rejected the Sindh government’s ruling to further postpone the polls and announced that local government (LG) elections in Karachi, Hyderabad, and Dadu would take place on January 15.
The provincial government’s order was rejected on basis of legal and constitutional principles. “Local government polls in Karachi and the rest of Sindh will be held as per the schedule,” said CEC. “Army and Rangers officials should be posted at high-risk polling stations for security purposes.”
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.