National Party Calls for Timely and Transparent Local Government Elections in Quetta

Quetta: The National Party has demanded that local government elections in Quetta be held on schedule in a transparent and impartial manner, accusing the provincial government of deliberately avoiding the polls to continue rule through administrators and allow corruption to flourish.

In a statement, the National Party’s provincial spokesperson said it is the government’s responsibility to ensure the timely conduct of local government elections, but instead, authorities are making repeated attempts to evade them. The spokesperson alleged that Quetta has been deprived of elected mayors and councillors for the past ten years and left at the mercy of bureaucracy, during which billions of rupees were allegedly misappropriated through administrators. He claimed that municipal machinery worth billions has been rendered dysfunctional, turning the city into ruins.

The party said that now, when the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has completed all preparations for local government elections, the government is resorting to excuses to delay the process. These include citing adverse weather conditions, law and order concerns, and misleading claims of all-party consensus in order to pressure the ECP to postpone the elections.

According to the National Party, the ruling elements fear that their “Form 47-installed” representatives will be exposed in local government elections, making postponement their only option to avoid defeat.

The spokesperson warned that the National Party demands the elections be conducted transparently and according to the announced schedule. He cautioned that any attempt at rigging would trigger widespread protests, with sit-ins on every street and road.

The party also claimed that the public is fully prepared for the local government elections and that defeat of the current rulers is imminent. It further demanded that the Election Commission bar provincial ministers, MPAs, MNAs, and representatives on reserved seats belonging to Quetta from campaigning, and suspend the use of their development funds until September 28.

The National Party reiterated that the tenure of elected local bodies should be four years, beginning from the date of the election.