ISLAMABAD: The decision to postpone local government (LG) elections in the capital has irked contestants across the political divide, who expressed resentment against the government and election watchdog for calling off polls at the eleventh hour, costing them a lot of money.

The elections were scheduled to be held on Dec 31 in the federal capital but the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), in an order earlier in the day, deferred the elections. The decision came days after a bill increasing the number of union councils in Islamabad was passed by parliament.

A large majority of contesting candidates were likely to hold protests against the decision of the Election Commission to postpone the LG elections.

Pattan, a local organisation, claimed that even Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidates, whose parties are in power at the Centre, resented their leadership for postponing elections just four days before the day of polling.

According to Pattan, it interviewed at least 25 candidates who belonged to union councils 75, 76, 78, 97 and 101. A majority of these nominees expressed “complete distrust in the election watchdog which failed to abide by its early decision and rules”.

PTI, JI to move court, PML-N, PPP candidates unhappy with postponement

The candidates said they suffered “serious financial damage” as a lot of money had already been spent on the electioneering. The ruling coalition’s nominees said they would record protests with the party leadership and hold protest meetings in reaction to the ECP’s decision.

A number of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) candidates hinted they would approach courts against the decision as well as hold demonstrations demanding timely elections.

“This is the murder of citizens’ democratic rights and prevalence of poor governance,” a PPP nominee said. A JI candidate said “Islamabad is becoming like Karachi” with respect to the local government elections.

Two PML-N candidates said: “We strongly condemn and oppose the decision of our party because most of the party leaders do not want the local level leadership to reach the provincial and national level.”

A PTI candidate said the “government was afraid of its defeat and they will also sabotage the local government elections in Sindh.”

Some candidates of the PPP termed this decision “anti-democracy” while a few PML-N nominees said their party had called an “emergency meeting and we will decide our course of action”.

A PPP candidate from UC-48 said the “decision has made him very angry” whereas an independent candidate from UC-42 termed it a “bad decision because we had incurred a lot of expenses on the election campaign”.

PTI lashes out at Election Commission

The PTI lashed out at the ECP and accused it of being in cahoots with the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government. It said the Islamabad High Court (IHC) would be moved to provide relief to the former ruling party.

It claimed that all surveys and intelligence reports were showing that the PTI was going to give PML-N a good thumping in the polls which prompted the government to postpone polls.

Speaking at a press conference, PTI Secretary General Asad Umar said the decision was not “unexpected because ECP was not functioning as an independent institution”.

“It was not unexpected as Imran Khan is the most popular leader in Pakistan and PTI was going to get the majority seats in polls. We will continue our struggle for the local bodies election,” he added.

He alleged that the reason given for the postponement of the election was irrelevant as PTI had already filed an appeal against the government’s decision to increase the number of union councils.

Mr Umar hoped that his party would get relief from the court and asked party workers to continue their election campaign regarding the Islamabad local polls despite the postponement.

Asad Umar alleged that last week the ECP had announced that it would hold elections in Islamabad but the election watchdog abruptly changed its decision just because the PDM was not ready to contest elections.

He said the residents of Islamabad should have the right to elect their representatives so that an independent local government could be established. Replying to another question, he said efforts were being made by the government to buy the loyalties of MPAs in Punjab.

JI to observe black day

Separately, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) announced that it would observe a black day today against the postponement of local bodies elections.

JI Naib Emir Mian Mohammad Aslam told reporters that his party would take out rallies on Dec 31 and hold a public referendum on the day of the election. He said the institutions have been acting as “tools of the government” and vowed to challenge the ECP’s decision in the high court.

Published in Dawn, December 28th, 2022