PTI Chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan has lashed out at the Elections Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the incumbent government for not holding the Islamabad local government elections today.
Taking to Twitter, the PTI Chairman has claimed that the ECP is working as a B team for a government that is afraid of the people and is running away from elections.
“By not implementing IHC orders to hold LG elections in Islamabad today, ECP has again shown it is B team of Imported Govt & its backers. PDM, fearful of the people, is running away from all elections. The right to vote is a fundamental democratic norm and PTI stands committed to it,” Imran Khan said.
By not implementing IHC orders to hold LG elections in Islamabad today, ECP has again shown it is B team of Imported Govt & its backers. PDM, fearful of the people, is running away from all elections. Right to vote is a fundamental democratic norm & PTI stands committed to it.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) December 31, 2022
Political tensions are high in Islamabad over the local government elections in the capital today. Voters are waiting outside the polling station to cast their vote in the Islamabad local government elections, however, the polling stations remain closed.
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On the other hand, the Election Commission of Pakistan on Saturday filed an intra-court appeal against the Islamabad High Court (IHC) order to hold Islamabad local government (LG) polls on December 31 (today).
According to the details, the decision of the IHC single bench has been challenged by the ECP. The election commission will seek 10 to 15 days to complete the preparations for the LG polls through an intra-court appeal.
Pertinent to mention that the ECP had canceled the December 31 schedule to hold the local government elections in the federal capital after a change in the union councils of the capital territory.
Read more: PTI slams govt as Islamabad LG polls postponed for 2nd time
Meanwhile, the IHC, while accepting the petitions of PTI and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) for nullification of ECP’s decision of LG polls’ deferral, directed the electoral body to hold the elections as per the schedule.
As a result, a large number of voters have gathered outside different polling stations in the federal capital as the polling was scheduled to begin at 8 am today. However, the 101 polling stations assigned by the election commission of Pakistan are still closed despite IHC orders.
Voters eager to cast vote but no elections are being conducted today by biased ECP as of now. Absolutely shameful! #IslamabadElections pic.twitter.com/fayIHOhFPN
— PTI (@PTIofficial) December 31, 2022