Govt yet to appoint deputy commissioner, RO for Korangi district. PHOTO: FILE
“If the apex court insists we hold the elections then, the provincial government will not be responsible for all the wrongdoings in this process,” said parliamentary affairs minister Dr Sikandar Mandhro, after a meeting at CM House on Tuesday.
Giving a briefing on the meeting, Dr Mandhro said the provincial government, or the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) may approach the courts to seek a delay in the elections for 90 days. “The Supreme Court should honour the resolutions of the parliament and the Sindh Assembly and postpone the polls by 90 days,” he said. “We are not joking. This demand has been made by all parliamentary parties given the ground realities.”
Meanwhile, today (Wed-nesday) is the last day to submit nomination forms but the PPP has requested the election commission extend the deadline to November 17. Earlier on Tuesday, a PPP delegation led by its Sindh general secretary, Taj Haider, submitted an application to the provincial election commission with the request.
Nomination papers
On the other hand, a large number of people were seen submitting their nomination forms at the offices of the returning officers. Talking to The Express Tribune, the deputy commissioner, South, Dr Saifur Rehman said that more than 1,400 candidates belonging to the PPP, Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Jamaat-e-Islami, Awami National Party and others submitted their papers.
“Following the court orders, the election commission has revised its scheduled, according to which the nomination forms are to be submitted till November 13,” he said. “After this date, the list of candidates will be published before other processes.” A large turnout is expected today as people will be submitting their papers from 9am to 4pm, he added.
“People can get their nomination forms from our offices, photocopiers or download them but they have to submit them at the offices of the relevant returning and assistant returning officers,” he explained.
No DC, DRO for Korangi
Even though the government has made Korangi the sixth district of Karachi, it has yet to appoint a deputy commissioner and a district returning officer for it. The jurisdiction administratively still comes under the domain of district East, where candidates can submit their nomination forms. Deputy commissioner, East, Samiuddin Siddiqui said the process of submitting forms is in full swing but he could not give details on how many people have turned up so far.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Pakistan has released a list of all district returning officers, returning officers and assistant returning officers for the upcoming elections.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 13th,2013.
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