Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Thursday approached the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) seeking postponement of March 16 by-polls on nine Karachi National Assembly (NA) seats.
The former PTI Karachi MNAS wrote a letter to the election watchdog to postpone by-polls in nine Karachi constituencies in light of LHC verdict on PTI MNAs’ resignations.
“There is no justification to hold by-polls on NA seats following the Lahore High Court (LHC) verdict that suspended the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) order de-notifying 43 PTI MNAs,” the letter read.
The letter further said that PTI will file plea in Sindh High Court (SHC) regarding upcoming by-polls on NA seats.
Earlier, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) — the two major coalition partners in the PDM-led federal government — had decided not to take part in the upcoming by-elections on the National Assembly seats of Karachi.
CJP takes sou motu notice over polls delay in KP, Punjab
The decision was taken keeping in view the current economic and political situation of the country.
From the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Mustafa Kamal, Dr Farooq Sattar, Dr Sagheer Ahmed, Rauf Siddiqui and others have withdrawn their nomination papers.
The by-elections on NA seats will be held on March 16. The nine constituencies where by-polls are scheduled include: NA-241 Korangi Karachi-III; NA-242 Karachi East-I; NA-243 Karachi East-II; NA-244 Karachi East-III; NA-247 Karachi South-II; NA-250 Karachi West-III; NA-252 Karachi West-V; NA-254 Karachi Central-II; and NA-256 Karachi Central-IV.