KARACHI: The Sindh government has urged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to postpone by-election for National Assembly constituency NA-249 Karachi “amid the rising COVID-19 infections in the province”.
In a letter to the electoral body, the provincial government urged ECP to postpone the scheduled by-poll in the concurrency until the coronavirus pandemic was brought under control.
“The country is facing the third wave of the pandemic and COVID-19 infections rose by over seven percent in Karachi and Hyderabad during the past week,” read the letter.
The letter further stated over 400 COVID-19 patients were undergoing treatment in intensive care units (ICUs) and UHDs of various hospitals in Karachi. “During the alarming situation, corner meetings and political rallies will lead to more coronavirus infections,” it added.
Earlier on April 15, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) delegation met with the Provincial Election Commissioner Sindh and demanded of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to reschedule NA-249 by-polls and deploy military personnel in the constituency.
