Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja has expressed grave concern over the violence, riots, and deaths of two people during the local government elections in 14 districts of Sindh and sought a detailed report from the secretary in this regard.
The CEC was chairing an important meeting held with a three-member delegation of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan led by Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui.
The other two members of the delegation included Aminul Haq and Farogh Naseem.
The MQM-P delegation apprised CEC Raja of its concerns.
Siddiqui demanded amendment in the Sindh Local Government Act, saying: “Election without change in the law is a violation of Supreme Court orders.”
He also demanded identification and correction of errors in the electoral rolls.
The MQM convener conveyed his party’s concerns regarding the delimitation process.
The ECP secretary apprised the participants that polling in 30 stations had to be suspended due to unrest, while elections of 13 different categories were postponed due to allotment of “wrong symbols”.
It was told during the briefing that polling was postponed at 74 polling stations and a total of 15 officials were booked.
“The election staff at Kandhkot Union Council No 28 were kidnapped, but later recovered,” the secretary said, adding that it was the responsibility of the provincial government to provide security to the election staff.
The CEC ordered the Sindh election commissioner to take strict action against the staff absent on election duty.
Raja also directed the ECP secretary to inquire into the LG elections and prepare a detailed report.
Later talking to the media, the MQM-P convener said, “Not only MQM's governorship but also political freedom has been curtailed.”
He said, “MQM had sent the middle-class people ahead in difficult times … will meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif today (Wednesday).”
Former law minister Dr Farogh Naseem said, “The demarcations in Sindh were flawed, as arbitrary demarcations were made in every UC.”
Naseem said the proportions of the population were not kept equal in the constituencies.
“The Election Commission has directed to submit a written application.”
The MQM leader raised the question of how the election was held before the final electoral rolls were released, demanding to address its concerns regarding voter lists and constituencies.
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