Pakistan's regional political party asks poll body to postpone Sindh's election

Amir Ali Thebo, secretary-general of Sindh United Party (SUP) has requested the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to postpone the phase-I and II elections, Dawn newspaper reported.

In a letter to ECP, Thebo claimed that the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party believed it would sweep the polls through rigging, which it intended to commit at all costs. This is against the law, equity and conduct of elections as guaranteed in the Constitution and is also violation of the Election Act, 2017.

He recalled that his party had in a press conference earlier suggested that elections in Sindh should be supervised by the judiciary or officers of good reputation from federal institutions like Wapda, National Highway Authority (NHA) and Pakistan Railways to avoid malpractices and ensure neutrality. But on the contrary, ECP delegated powers to the Sindh government to hold elections, he regretted. As a result, he alleged, the Sindh government started pre-poll rigging, Dawn said.

Early this month, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Sindh Chapter President Ali Zaidi has filed a petition in the Supreme Court, seeking to postpone upcoming local body elections in the province due to the non-completion of delimitations and alleged non-compliance of the apex court verdict on local bodies, The Express Tribune reported.

According to the notification issued by the ECP, the first phase of the local government (LG) polls will be held on June 26 in Sukkur, Larkana, Shaheed Benazirabad and Mirpurkhas divisions, while the second phase is scheduled to start on July 24 in Karachi, Hyderabad, and Thatta.

A notification issued by the ECP states that the first phase of the local government (LG) polls will be held on June 26 in Sukkur, Larkana, Shaheed Benazirabad and Mirpurkhas divisions, while the second phase is scheduled to start on July 24 in Karachi, Hyderabad, and Thatta. (ANI)