ISLAMABAD (A News) – The Islamabad High Court (IHCsingle-member )’s bench’s decision to conduct local government elections in the nation’s capital on December 31 was challenged by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Saturday.
The leaders of Jamat-e-Islami and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have been declared respondents in the case by the highest electoral authority.
The IHC directed the ECP to hold the LG election according to schedule on Friday. In response to a plea by the PTI and JI challenging the electoral body’s decision to “temporarily” postpone the elections in light of the government’s plan to expand the number of union councils, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir issued the instructions (UCs).
After the results were announced, the ECP called an emergency meeting yesterday night after learning that more than 14,000 of the poll workers were teachers and employees of other departments who were on Christmas break, making it impossible to conduct the election.
Despite respecting the court’s decision, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said on Friday that it would be four months before local government elections could be held.
Speaking to the media, Mr. Sanaullah said 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 said that it was impossible to set up 1,000 voting locations immediately. The general election, which he said would take place in October, would not happen for at least 10 months.
In the meanwhile, the federal government is probably going to challenge the IHC decisions for the LG election internally on Saturday.