MQM-P 'rejects' LG polls in Sindh, says Karachi was 'deprived of 70 UCs'.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) on Sunday 'rejected' the second phase of local government (LG) elections in Sindh, saying that Karachi was 'deprived of 70 union councils'.

Polling for the second phase of LG polls ended today at 5pm. The MQM-P had announced on Saturday that it would boycott the polls in Karachi and Hyderabad divisions after repeated requests for changes in the delimitation of constituencies were turned down by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Addressing a press conference in Karachi, MQM-P convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said: 'Today, Karachi and Hyderabad won and rigging lost. The people held a referendum on the party's decision to boycott the elections by sitting at home.'

He further claimed that Karachi was 'deprived' of 70 union councils during the delimitation exercise.

He said that the people had rejected 'prepoll rigging' and a 'conspiracy to snatch their mandate'.

Siddiqui added that the people of Karachi, Hyderabad and Tando Allahyar had foiled 'all efforts to take over their cities and snatch the elections'.

Talking about the party's boycott, he questioned if the candidates elected after today's polls would truly be the 'people's representatives'.

'The people who win, will they have any political, democratic or moral ground [to be in government]. Will that mayor ... or local government be...