KARACHI: Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday rejected a plea filed by Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), which sought to conduct early hearing of its plea to become intervener in petitions against delay in Local Government elections.
It may be recalled that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) had filed petitions in SHC against consecutive postponement of the local government elections in Karachi and Hyderabad by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
The Sindh High Court had taken serious exception to the delay in holding of the local bodies elections in Karachi and Hyderabad by the ECP on the grounds of lack of security. In a recent hearing, the high court directed the advocate general to submit details of police and Rangers deployment in the province.
Also read: MQM approaches SHC, requests to delay Local Bodies polls in Sindh
MQM on November 12 approached the SHC and sought to delay the Local Government elections unless and until necessary amendments in relevant laws were introduced. The move by MQM came just a day after Sindh cabinet okayed proposal to delay LG polls in Karachi by 90 more days. This was the 4th time that the local bodies elections were put off in the Metropolis.
In its application, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement took the plea that it was imperative to take into consideration all the legal complications before holding local government polls, and that without proper legislation, local bodies institutions couldn’t get autonomy they need to deliver to the masses.
MQM’s counsel Advocate Tariq Mansoor requested that since the case was fixed for hearing today, his client (MQM) be allowed to become intervener as well. Chief Justice, however, rejected the plea for early hearing of MQM’s plea, saying the application would be taken up as per routine.
