Lawmakers demand delay in local elections

PA resolution says more time needed for reforms in LG laws

QUETTA: The Balochistan Assembly has unanimously passed a resolution demanding of the Centre to postpone the upcoming local bodies’ elections in the province for an indefinite period due to an inordinate delay in introducing reforms in the existing local government (LG) act and other reasons.

The development took place late on Monday night when the treasury and opposition benches adopted the joint resolution.

It was moved by Minister for Higher Education and Information Zahoor Ahmed Buledi on behalf of all the members during a session presided over by Speaker Abdul Quddus Bizenjo.



“In view of the 2017 census, continuous drought persisting since last nine years, introducing new reforms in the existing LG act and new delimitation, local bodies election should be postponed for an indefinite period,” stated the resolution. “Delimitation of local bodies has started which will take time to complete. The provincial government is also working on evolving consensus to introduce new reforms.”

The Balochistan government had requested the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for extending the date for holding the local bodies’ election in the province.

However, the ECP rejected the plea of the government, announcing to hold elections on time.

On the resolution, Buledi said, “The local bodies’ institutions have completed its four-year term. During these four years, census was also conducted in the country which shows the population of Balochistan increased up to 13 million.”



He said after the new census, conducting “delimitation of national and provincial assemblies is constitutional obligation”.

“The Balochistan government had informed the ECP that more time was required to complete all the obligations and the LG polls cannot be held on the given time,” said the minister, adding that the government further pleaded in the commission that it also wanted to upgrade the local bodies’ institutions.

“Holding LG elections on the basis of old delimitation will be injustice with the people of Balochistan,” said Buledi, adding that some of the LG constituencies in Quetta have over 100,000 population, which needed proper delimitation.

Balochistan National Party- Mengal’s (BNP-M) Sanaullah Baloch said, “According to the Constitution, every federating unit has the right to establish local bodies, institutions and it has constitutional powers to devise the LG act.”



He said holding election was the responsibility of the ECP while legislation was the right of the provincial governments.

“After forming his government, Prime Minister Imran Khan announced introducing new LG system in the country and formed a task force for removing all hurdles in the existing one,” said Sana, adding that Imran had vowed to introduce a new LG system in the country to make them more effective.

He said unfortunately in Balochistan, the LG institutions could not deliver due to lack of a proper LG act.

He demanded conducting LG polls in Balochistan after completing new delimitation in view of the population of the province.



National Party parliamentary leader Muhammad Asghar Khan Achakzai supported the resolution, saying LG elections should be postponed for some time.

“The ECP wants to hold LG elections in May this year while Ramazan is also falling in the same month,” said Achakzai, adding that delimitation had not been completed so far and after delimitation, people would approach court of law.

“Drought is also affecting the people and in this situation more time should be given to the Balochistan government for holding new LG elections in the province,” he added.

However, Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party’s Nasarullah Zerey opposed the resolution, questioning “why the provincial government had not started work on preparing new reforms after forming government in August last year”.

He urged the government to hold LG election without wasting time.