ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan approved on Wednesday a proposal to change the polling date for the last phase of local government elections in Punjab and Sindh to Dec 5.

An ECP official told Dawn that a notification about the change would be issued soon. In the original schedule, the polling date was Dec 3.

The commission agreed to change the date at the request of Tehreek Nifaz-i-Fiqah Jafria during a meeting between a TNFJ delegation and ECP Secretary Babar Yaqoob Fateh Mohammad on Monday.

Know more: ECP to change polling date for last phase of LG polls in Punjab, Sindh

The TNFJ delegation pointed out that Chehlum of Imam Husain would be observed on Dec 3 and said that thousands of voters would be deprived of their right to franchise if the date was not changed. There may also be security problems.

The ECP official said a summary for fixing Dec 5 as the polling day in the two provinces had been approved by the commission.

The last phase of local government elections would be held in the six districts of Karachi and 12 districts of Punjab. The districts in Punjab include Rawalpindi, Multan, Bahawalpur, Sialkot, Jhang, Narowal, Rahimyar Khan, Khushab, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Muzaffargarh and Layyah.

Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2015

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