Hafiz Naeemur Rehman demands early LB polls in Karachi

ISLAMABAD, Nov 15 (SABAH): Emir Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has demanded early local bodies’ polls in Karachi under the supervision of Army and Rangers. He said the same view of Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on the issue of adjournment of local bodies polls proved that all of them were fleeing from the elections.

Hafiz Naeemur Rehman expressed these views while talking to media persons after hearing of case of repeated postponement of local bodies elections in Karachi by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday.

Jamaat-e-Islami’s lawyers including Saifuddin, Saifullah Gondal and Shahid Shamsi were also present on the occasion. Hafiz Naeemur Rehman was of the view that holding of elections comes under the jurisdiction of Election Commission and continued that whilst hearing ECP head and members conveyed this to government of Sindh, PTI and MQM.

Election Commission also stated if the government of Sindh was facing the issue of security then it may also be called from Punjab, he said, and added the ECP was ready for LB polls whereas the government of Sindh and aforementioned parties were fleeing from holding the elections. Rangers also adopted the viewpoint that it was ready for undertaking this duty, he added, and said the army can also be called for this purpose. He said the ECP should exercise its powers in connection with this.

A five-member bench headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja heard the case. “The election commission did its utmost effort for holding local government elections in Karachi, there are also some ground realities,” the ECP said in a statement. The commission will soon announce its reserved decision, a decision that could come into force, the election body said in its statement.

Earlier, Joint Secretary Interior Ministry Muhammad Ramzan Malik told the ECP panel headed by the CEC that the ministry could not provide civil armed forces due to the prevailing situation. “Explain in a sentence what you want to say,” CEC Sikandar said. “Forces are busy, could not be provided for election,” Interior Ministry official said.

Sindh government also expressed inability to hold elections currently. “It is our responsibility to hold elections, you have taken this power from us,” CEC remarked. “Under which rule you have amended the local government law,” ECP member Ikramullah Khan asked.

Provincial governments not intending to hold local government elections, CEC said. “We have to hold elections in Punjab and Sindh, the elections could not be held on the basis of what you are telling us,” CEC said. Administrator Karachi Murtaza Wahab said that the first phase of the local polls in Sindh have been completed, “while in Karachi we are ready to hold elections in two phases”.

“Local councils’ elections have twice postponed due to floods,” Wahab said. “Floodwater still standing at 25 to 30 pct area,” he said. “Yesterday you stated that you are prepared for holding elections,” CEC commented. “Sindh government is ready for holding local government elections, but security is necessary,” the administrator replied. “We don’t want allegations that the government has influenced polls. Sindh cabinet has approved to postpone the local councils’ elections for 90 days,” he said.

IG Sindh Police also backed the government’s stance to put off local government elections. “Any untoward incident could happen, we have a shortage of 17,000 personnel,” he further said. “We can hold election on the order of the election commission but will face security issues,” IG Sindh said. “In 2015 LG Polls 17 persons were died and 30 injured in violence,” he said.

Moreover, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said that they have presented a date of elections in this regard as well and added that these can be held in the city in 45 days. He deplored that all the projects in Karachi were halted and added no one was taking up the issues of the masses. Hardships of masses further were intensifying and the institutions need to be concerned in this regard, he noted.

He advised the said parties to put to end their own conflicts and stated that all the masses of the port city of Karachi were fixing eyes at Jamaat-e-Islami for the solution of their issues. All and sundry were sensing that Jamaat-e-Islami was going to win in the forthcoming elections which is why they were scared of holding by polls and were hell-bent upon adopting the anti-law stance.