The Govt of Sindh has once again requested a delay of the local body elections in Karachi and Hyderabad over security threats.
This comes after the Election Commission recently announced that the polls will be held on 15th January 2023.
However Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has called for a Rabta Committee emergency meeting to discuss the matter and had also issued an ultimatum to the federal government, threatening to withdraw from the government if the elections were not postponed.
Amidst the political tension, the Jamat-e-Islami and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have raised their voices against the MQM’s merger.
Asif Zardari, Co-Chairman Peoples Party, has also contacted Governor Sindh, Kamran Tessori and Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui to find a solution to the current political situation.
The security concern has been raised due to the volatile nature of the two cities, with the potential of tensions spilling over into violence.
The Sindh Govt is of the view that the security of the citizens should be ensured before the local body elections are held.
Furthermore, the Federal government has suggested deploying the Frontier Corps (FC) in Karachi and Hyderabad to maintain law and order during the polls.
It remains to be seen whether the local body elections will go ahead as planned or if the government will be successful in its bid for a postponement.
