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The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) rejected the Sindh government's request to postpone local government elections in Karachi and Hyderabad divisions on Friday, ruling that the polls will take place on January 15, as previously decided.


The decision was made by ECP members at its headquarters in Islamabad during a meeting presided over by Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja.


The provincial government announced in the early hours of Friday that the long-awaited local government elections would not be held in the Karachi and Hyderabad divisions.


In a hastily called press conference, Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon stated that the polls in seven districts — Tando Allahyar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Badin, Thatta, Sujawal, and Jamshoro — would take place on January 15 as planned.

Memon had also announced that the notification to hold elections based on the existing delimitation had been withdrawn at the request of their 'coalition partner,' the MQM-P, which had serious reservations about it.


The MQM-P had rejected the delimitation of local government constituencies, calling them "unjustified," and demanded that the notification be withdrawn.


The electoral watchdog met today and reviewed the Sindh government's request, but unanimously rejected it and reiterated that the local body elections will take place as planned.


The ECP also decided to notify the Ministry of Interior in order to ensure the presence of Army and Rangers personnel at the province's most sensitive polling stations.