PPP in no mood for LG polls on Jan 18

While playing different cards on the issue of local bodies’ elections, the ruling party in Sindh, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) seems in no mood to hold the elections on January 18, 2014.

The PPP-led Sindh government has been opposing the holding of local bodies (LB) elections even after the Supreme Court has issued orders in this regard. However, insiders in the PPP disclosed that the party leadership is not in favour of holding LB polls in 2014.

Reliable sources told Pakistan Today that the Sindh government was ready in terms of preparations but wanted to delay the holding of the elections until 2015.

“The leadership tried different cards like raising the issue of delimitations, amendments to the Sindh Local Government Bills 2013 etc. However, they will now insist on holding census in the country before the LG polls are conducted,” a senior PPP leader told Pakistan Today.

“The party leadership wants to clean sweep the LB elections in the province and several elected and non-elected leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League -Functional (PML-F), PML-Quaid (PML-Q) and others are joining the PPP almost every day,” he said.

The PPP leader said the population census was being delayed for the last 24 years and it was the need of the hour to first hold the census before going for local government elections.

“The local bodies election in Sindh may get delayed for a year as the province is facing serious issues like lawlessness and the targeted operation against criminals etc,” he said.

He said that minimum six months would be required for census and in some areas it might be delayed due to law and order or some natural calamity.

SINDH GOVT TO DECIDE POLLS DATE:

Sindh Minister for Information and Local Government Sharjeel Memon told Pakistan Today that it was clearly defined under Section-34/2 of the Sindh Local Government Act 2013 that the schedule for conducting LB elections in the province would be decided by the provincial government with consultation of the provincial election commission.

“Any announcement made by the provincial election commission on its own will be tantamount to working in violation to the SLGA 2013, which the elected provincial assembly of Sindh had passed,” he added.

The minister said the Sindh government wanted to conduct LB polls in the province in a transparent, free and fair atmosphere. “Hence, it is imperative that no haste be manifested in conducting the LG polls in the province. The polls may however be held in March,” he said.

Memon said that the LB polls should be conducted simultaneously in Khyber-Pakhtunkhawa, Punjab and Sindh and the provincial chapters of the election commission should ensure provisioning and utilisation of magnetic ink and corrected voters’ lists.

“It is not only difficult but impossible to conduct local bodies’ polls on January 18. The provincial election commission should conduct LB polls on a date given by the Sindh government.”

MQM FOR TIMELY LG POLLS:

Commenting on the issue, Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s Central Information Committee member Ameenul Haq said: “MQM is a democratic party and we want local government elections to be held on time so that power could be transferred to the grassroots level.”

“The MQM has completed its preparations for LG elections in Sindh and the party will contest from all over the province,” he said.