KARACHI: Sindh Police have approached Home Department asking them to postpone second phase of local government (LG) elections in province, citing shortage of personnel. According to details, Home Department has forwarded to Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah a report prepared by Sindh police, seeking postponement of LG elections.

Police in its report stated that additional officials were summoned from other districts to maintain law and order during local body elections in Karachi. “Officials posted in flood-affected districts cannot return immediately,” it added. Report further stated that personnel of various units of Karachi police were also deployed in rural areas. It noted that provincial police needs almost 39,000 personnel for polls in Karachi, adding that they were facing a shortage of 16,000 personnel.

Earlier, Election Commission of Pakistan decided to postpone LG government elections in Karachi after receiving inputs from Sindh government. Decision was taken by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja citing reports received from election commissioner Sindh and district administration. Prior to decision, CEC asked ECP secretary to seek reports on weather and flood situation in Sindh to decide on holding local government elections in Karachi on August 28.

Published in The Daily National Courier, October, 04 2022

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