Strong criticism: ‘Local govt polls not on PPP, PML-N agenda’
LAHORE: Several leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf lashed out at the Election Commission of Pakistan on Wednesday for delaying the schedule for local government elections in Sindh and the Punjab.
Ejaz Chaudhary, political adviser to PTI’s chief, said the ECP, and the governments led by the Pakistan Peoples Party and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz in the two provinces had proffered lame excuses to the Supreme Court for the delay in local government elections in the Punjab and Sindh.
This, he said, indicated that the governments did not intend to hold local government elections.
Chaudhary criticised the provincial governments for using floods for the delay and said that the Supreme Court had observed in its order on Tuesday’s hearing that the ECP was bound to conduct the elections under Article 140 A of the Constitution. He said the provincial governments had failed to hold the elections for more than seven years.
“Why is the ECP shying away from holding these elections?” Chauhdry said the ECP was hand in glove with those who wanted to deny the people a truly democratic system.
“The people of Pakistan want to know who’s pulling the ECP’s strings in this matter.”
PTI’s Andleeb Abbas said the ECP was responsible for holding elections but, she added, that it was being manipulated at the hands of political parties. She said the ECP had failed to perform its constitutional duty.
PTI’s Yasmin Rashid said that military dictators had nurtured the PPP and the PML-N which is why the two parties would never transfer power to the grassroots level.
“The ECP is equally responsible for flouting the Constitution and inordinately delaying local government polls in Sindh and the Punjab.”
She said the PPP and the PML-N had been in power in the two provinces since May 2013, however, they had failed to fulfil their commitments to the people. “If the ECP cannot perform its duty then its members, who are already being questioned for their failure to hold free and transparent elections in 2013, should resign now.”
‘Take action against those supporting terrorism’
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) provincial organiser Chaudhry Sarwar said on Wednesday those supporting banned organisations must be removed from public offices to make the anti-terrorism efforts successful.
In a statement, he asked the government to take action against those having a soft corner for terrorists. “Action against such people is necessary to purge the country of terrorism.”
Sarwar said the government should also continue its efforts against target killers and extortionists without discrimination. “The PTI always supports moves aimed at restoring peace in the country,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 20th, 2015.
