Intelligence agencies have warned Election Commission about security threats in Karachi and Hyderabad.
The Sindh government wrote on Saturday a letter to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) again seeking the postponement of local government (LG) polls in Karachi and Hyderabad, citing a lack of security after the armed forces excused themselves from providing security to sensitive polling stations.
According to the letter, the government has urged the ECP to postpone the polls until fool-proof security is ensured. Lack of security could result in any untoward incident, the Sindh government argued.
Meanwhile, a meeting of the electoral body called in light of the Sindh government’s request is currently underway in Islamabad.
Sources privy to the matter said that the provincial government’s request to delay the grassroots level polls in Karachi division and Hyderabad district will come under discussion.
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The meeting will be attended by Election Commission Secretary Umar Hameed, while provincial election commissioner Aijaz Anwer Chohan will attend via video link.
Army excuses itself from providing security
The letter came hours after the armed force declined to provide security at “sensitive and most sensitive” polling stations during the LG polls in Hyderabad and Karachi divisions on January 15.
A letter from the interior ministry read, “the GHQ has stated that as already intimated given current deployment and very high number of sensitive and highly sensitive polling stations, required static deployment and security cover to polling staff and material as desired by (ECP) is not possible.”
