Security concerns: Local govt elections put off in Sanghar district

Authorities fear backlash from last month’s bloody Khairpur clash

ISLAMABAD: Local government elections in Sindh’s Sanghar district have been put off for an indefinite period, poll officials announced on Saturday.

The announcement came five days before the second phase of the ongoing elections was to get under way on November 19.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) took the decision on Saturday during a meeting held at its Islamabad headquarters to review security arrangements for the polls.

Fifteen districts in Sindh are scheduled to go for polls in the second of the three-phase local government elections in the province. In the first phase, polls were held in 12 districts.

The chief election commissioner, Justice (retd) Sardar Muhammad Raza, called the meeting amid growing security concerns in some districts.

A bloody clash between two rival groups in Khairpur district – the hometown of Sindh chief minister – had left around 12 dead in last month’s polls. Security agencies fear a similar situation in some districts, especially Badin and Sanghar.

Sindh chief secretary, additional chief secretary and the police chief took part in the meeting, where home department officers and district returning officers of Sanghar, Badin, Tharparkar, Umerkot and Naushero Feroz were also present.

While the officials decided to adopt extraordinary security measures in Badin, they decided to delay the polls in Sanghar. The security apparatus, supposed to be deputed in Sanghar, will now be shifted to the Badin district.

The election commissioner also took up issue of alleged biasness with the Badin DCO, who has been appointed as the district returning officer for the polls.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 15^th, 2015.