The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday withdrew the schedule for local government polls in Islamabad.
The development came after the promulgation of an ordinance that changed the structure of local government and the mode of elections in the federal capital.
On Monday, President Asif Ali Zardari approved the ordinance, which introduces several amendments to the Local Government Act 2015. Besides replacing the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) with three town corporations, the ordinance gives the government-appointed administrator more powers and an indefinite tenure.
The statement issued by the ECP today stated that since “the structure of Local Governments and mode of Local Government Elections in Islamabad Capital Territory have been changed” after the “promulgation” of the local body ordinance, the schedule issued earlier is being withdrawn.
Thousands of people from all 125 Union Councils of the federal capital had already submitted nomination papers for the elections.
Meanwhile, the ordinance also stated that, in the absence of local government, the administrator may hold office until new local government elections are held, replacing the previous bar that the administrator’s tenure shall not exceed six months.
The ordinance also empowered the administrator to levy tax, fee, rate, rent, toll charge or surcharge.
The federal cabinet approved 14 amendments to the Act, including a change in the name of the Metropolitan Corporation of Islamabad, replacing it with town corporations.
PTI, human rights activists, civil society organisations and residents of the federal capital rejected the new amendments to the Islamabad local government system promulgated through an ordinance.
On Wednesday, Emir Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Hafiz Naeemur Rehman demanded that local body polls in the federal capital be held as per the earlier announced schedule.
“The elections should be held on time and on the basis of nominations that have been done, while the ordinance needs to be abolished and undemocratic practices need to end,” he said.
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