DUNYA NEWS – ISLAMABAD The ruling of the Islamabad High Court (IHCsingle-member )’s bench ordering the capital city to hold local government elections on December 31 was challenged on Saturday by the federal government and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
The leaders of Jamat-e-Islami and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have been made respondents in the case by the top electoral authority. The IHC registrar’s office objected to the ECP appeal, stating that pertinent documents needed to be included.
After removing the registrar office’s concerns, the ECP’s attorney resubmitted the petition.
The IHC ordered the ECP to hold the LG election on Friday according to plan. The order was made by Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir in response to a petition filed by the PTI and JI challenging the election body’s decision to “temporarily” postpone the elections in light of the government’s plan to increase the number of union councils (UCs). After the results were announced, the ECP called an emergency meeting on Friday night after learning that over 14,000 of the poll workers were teachers and employees of other departments who were on winter break, making it difficult to conduct the election.
Despite respecting the court’s decision, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah stated on Friday that it would be four months before local government elections could be held. Speaking to the media, Mr. Sanaullah asserted that threats had already been made against Islamabad as a result of a suicide attack that occurred nearby the I-10 a few days before.
In reference to the LG polling arrangements, he claimed that it was impossible to set up 1,000 polling locations immediately. The general election, which he said would take place in October, would not happen for at least 10 months.
