According to ECP schedule, the elections will be held on November 27 in Sindh and December 7 in Punjab. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday announced the date for local government elections in Sindh and Punjab, Express News reported.
According to the schedule, the elections will be held on November 27 in Sindh and December 7 in Punjab.
The elections in Balochistan will also take place on December 7 as per the schedule announced by the ECP earlier.
The election body had previously asked the Supreme Court to postpone local bodies’ elections as they were ‘short on time’. The apex court rejected the request.
Elections
These elections would be the first since the local system was devolved to the provinces themselves. Previously, the provinces were functioning under a central federally-constructed system.
While the delays on the part of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) are technical, the real setbacks have come due to the lack of laws and rules. While Punjab had passed its local government bill, it is yet to act on fresh delimitations – a crucial exercise for the polls. Sindh, too, is in a similar position – except the provincial government still continues to tweak its laws. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has recently passed its local government bill.
Political rivalries have also played their part in hamstringing efforts to put in place local government systems: the Punjab system, put in place by the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has been challenged by opposition parties Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). In Sindh, the PPP is in power, and has also had its local government act challenged by the opposition Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). The PTI, in power in K-P, also faces a threat of seeing its recently-passed bill taken to court.
COMMENTS (5)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
Dont expect any developments like the ones Mustafa kamal did if the present Sindh govt implies its LB laws. I do not support MQM, by hats off to Mustafa Kamal aur other Nazims of MQM who changed the face of karachi to a modern city. Since last 5 years no local body elections were held and since then we receive water once in 20 days. Hope the new LB improves the situation.
@Aysha M: you are right, but I am afraid that this time the LG laws have been tuned in favour of prov gov significantly and so he may face many constraints in delivering good work.
Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif to become member Rabita Committee very soon! End of Altaf bhai :(
This whole exercise appears to be purely to satisfy the Supreme Court's wishes and the CJ trying to take credit before the retirement. What elections can be held in less thab a month when the provincial governments haven't fully completed the delimitaion exersie and people effected directly by the process have not yet been given a legal recourse. ECP clearly is no position ready to complete the elections judiciously when they don't even the capability to print ballot papers.... This is going to work perfectly in the hands of sitting governments to do as they wish with minimal oversight, transparency and in a short time when clearly this is beibg rushed..... All in the name and presence free and fair judiciary!!!
Karachi to have a Mustafa Kamal soon - mayor who cares and it shows