Blow for MQM-P as ECP stops appointments of Karachi, Hyderabad administrators
MQM-P suffered a blow before LG polls as ECP Sindh stopped the appointment of administrators in Karachi and Hyderabad.
KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) suffered a blow before the local government (LG) polls as the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) thwarted the attempt of rigging by the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and its ally and stopped the appointment of administrators in Karachi and Hyderabad.
The ECP Sindh chapter wrote a letter to the Secretary Local Government and ordered to withdraw the order to appoint three administrators in Karachi and Hyderabad or postpone the order till January 15.
The Sindh government had appointed Muhammad Farooq, Syed Shakeel Ahmed and Muhammad Sharif as administrators of the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation and the Municipal Corporations of Korangi and East Districts of Karachi under the agreement reached between PPP and MQM-P on December 19.
Prior to their appointment, Muhammad Farooq and Shakeel Ahmed were working as Administrators of Worker Model School, Site Hyderabad and Korangi respectively, while Muhammad Sharif was working as Director Charged Parking at DMC Central Karachi.
However, his appointment was criticised by opposition parties who termed it as an attempt at pre-election rigging as LG polls are scheduled to be held on January 15 in Karachi and Hyderabad divisions.
On Wednesday, the provincial EC stated in a letter to the Secretary Local Government that the ECP had banned appointments and transfers during the holding of LG polls through a declaration issued on June 10. The EC Sindh directed the Secretary Local Government to either withdraw the order or postpone it till the end of the second phase of LG polls in the Karachi and Hyderabad divisions.
The letter reminded the government of an earlier notification issued by the ECP, which stated the schedule for LG elections in the districts for which it has been issued.
No transfer or appointment of government officials and officials will be made without the prior approval of the commission until the release of the election results in the autonomous bodies or authorities of these districts.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Ali Zaidi said in a tweet that the Election Commission ordered to withdraw the declaration of appointment of administrators.
Earlier, while addressing a press conference yesterday, Ali Zaidi said that his party wrote a letter to the Chief Secretary and told him that the newly appointed administrators are affiliated with MQM Pakistan.
He said that the appointment of such officers as administrators about 20 days before the municipal elections is a clear pre-election rigging. Apart from this, Sindh United Party also expressed reservations on the appointment of administrators and Hyderabad commissioner before the municipal elections.
SUP Chairman and Sindh Action Committee Convener Syed Jalal Mahmood Shah demanded that the orders of appointment of new election administrator and commissioner of Hyderabad should be annulled.
