The local government elections in Karachi and Hyderabad would be held on January 15, the Election Commission of Pakistan said on Saturday.

“The dispatch process will be completed today,” provincial election commissioner Aijaz Chohan told the media, referring to distribution of polling materials and mobilisation of staff.

“The Sindh government should ensure foolproof measures for holding a peaceful election,” he said, adding that rangers will assist police in the more sensitive polling stations.

The country’s top electoral met after the Sindh government had written a letter to it and requested that LG elections be delayed in Karachi and Hyderabad due to “security concerns”.

The letter said that due to avoid any untoward incidents, the elections should be delayed until fool-proof security arrangements are made. The elections are set to be held on January 15.

However, Chohan said that the ECP had deliberated over the government’s concerns in detail and decided that they should proceed with the election.

Sindh’s local government department had earlier written to the ECP to delay elections in Karachi and Hyderabad due a need for fresh delimitations. It had also requested that elections be postponed in Dadu due to flood damage, as many parts of the area were still under water.

In response, the ECP had ruled on Friday that elections in Karachi, Hyderabad and Dadu will go on as per original schedule.

The Jamat-e-Islami and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf have already accused the PPP-led Sindh government of using delay tactics to ‘run away’ from elections. The demand for fresh delimitations has been mainly pushed by the Muttahid Qaumi Movement-Pakistan.

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