KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Thursday warned the authorities of a massive campaign across Karachi if a notification for elections of city mayor and deputy mayor was not issued soon enough to hand them powers to run the local government system.

Speaking at a protest demonstration outside the office of the provincial election commissioner, MQM leaders also held the Election Commission of Pakistan responsible for the delay in transferring powers to the elected representatives which led to the collapse of Karachi’s local government infrastructure.

“The people who have gathered here today are actually those elected representatives of Karachi who were voted by the people of this city,” said senior leader of the MQM and nominated mayor of Karachi Waseem Akhtar. “This protest is against the Election Commission of Pakistan and we appeal to the Supreme Court to take notice of the delays and issue a decree at the earliest calling for the authorities to hold the polls.”

He also questioned the role of the Sindh government saying the belief expressed by the provincial authorities in democracy was never reflected in their actions as the LG system, considered a key part of democratic dispensation, was never accepted in true spirit by the PPP government.

“Who in the world would believe that despite a democratic system functioning in Pakistan, its largest city has been deprived of a local government system?” he said. “It’s a violation of the Constitution and very basic right of the common man. The political consideration of the authorities concerned is damaging the infrastructure of Karachi and ultimately the common man is suffering badly.”

The protesters were chanting slogans and carrying placards which read ‘Down with the election commission’, ‘We want justice’, etc.

In his speech Advocate Arif Khan, a member of the party’s coordination committee, said the MQM would take to the streets if the elected representatives were not handed over their powers.

“We are peaceful only to make our voice of protest heard,” he said. “But if the notification for elections of city mayor and deputy mayor is not issued and elected representatives are not handed over their rights soon, we would stretch this protest to every town and district of the city. We are raising our voice at every legal forum but if it is not heard, we would be compelled to come out on the roads.”

The others who spoke at the gathering included nominated deputy mayor of Karachi Dr Arshad Vohra.

Only on Tuesday more than 90 councillors elected to the reserved seats of the City Council staged protests against the election commission when after waiting for more than four hours at the Civic Centre to take the oath of their office, they were informed that the ceremony had been postponed.

ECP sources maintained that a notification could not be issued because several election commission members had retired after completing their term on Monday, while major decisions could not be taken by an incomplete ECP.

Published in Dawn, June 17th, 2016