Muttahida, PTI suffer setback as pleas to delay LG polls dismissed.

KARACHI -- Major opposition parties in the province suffered a major setback on Friday when the Sindh High Court dismissed their petitions seeking postponement of local government elections to be held on Sunday (tomorrow) in four of the six divisions of the province.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf had approached the SHC against demarcation and delimitations of LG constituencies, incomplete electoral rolls, etc.

After hearing lawyers from all sides, a two-judge bench comprising Justice Mohammad Junaid Ghaffar and Justice Amjad Ali Sahito dismissed the petitions along with all pending applications through a short order.

The court will record later on reasons for rejecting the petitions.

After the hearing, Sindh Election Commissioner Aijaz Anwer Chohan told reporters on SHC premises that preparations for the first phase of local government elections, to be held on Sunday (tomorrow) in Sukkur, Larkana, Mirpurkhas and Shaheed Benazirabad divisions, had been completed.

ECP ready to hold first phase of local govt elections tomorrow

Representing the MQM-P, former federal law minister Dr Farogh Naseem argued that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was in favour of holding the LG election, but the electoral rolls had not been completed yet.

He maintained that fair polls could not be conducted without verifying and rectifying electoral rolls.

While referring to some rulings of the superior judiciary, he contended that elections could not be conducted without fulfilling all legal formalities and there should be an independent body for delimitation and demarcation.

The counsel for PTI, Chaudhry Atif Rafiq, argued that the Supreme Court in its Feb 1 judgement had emphasised on empowered and meaningful local governments and legislation in this regard in the light of Article 140-A of the Constitution.

He submitted that the apex court had also issued...