Pakistan Election Commission likely to conduct Islamabad local govt polls this week: Report

Islamabad [Pakistan], January 1 (ANI): The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will likely conduct Islamabad local government (LG) elections this week, ARY News cited sources.
Pakistan's Election Commission has issued orders to the concerned returning officers (ROs) to begin transportation of polling material on an emergency basis.
Citing ECP sources, the ARY News report said that the announcement regarding new date of the Islamabad local government elections will be made at the earliest.
On Saturday, Pakistan's federal government filed an intra-court appeal in Islamabad High Court (IHC) against conducting Islamabad local government elections.
According to the details, additional Attorney General Munawar Iqbal Duggal filed an intra-court appeal in Islamabad High Court (IHC). In the appeal, the government requested the court to suspend the IHC verdict to hold Islamabad's local government polls on December 31, according to the news report.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)also filed an intra-court appeal against IHC's order to conduct Islamabad local govt polls on December 31. The Islamabad High Court announced the reserved verdict on Islamabad local government elections against the ECP, as per the ARY News report. The court accepted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) petitions and directed the ECP to hold LG elections in Islamabad on December 31.
On Saturday, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) filed a contempt petition against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) over the electoral body's failure to hold local body polls in Islamabad despite an order by the Islamabad High Court (IHC), according to The Express Tribune.
PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry tweeted, "Voters are standing outside the polling station in Islamabad, but despite the clear orders of the court, the elections have been stopped. Action should be taken."
Meanwhile, PTI's central Secretary General Asad Umar called for strict action against the Election Commission of Pakistan stating that the ECP's action was a contempt of court, according to The Express Tribune.
In a video message on Twitter, Asad Umar said his party's workers were present outside polling stations from the morning but no one from the ECP had arrived. He claimed that this "imported government" is afraid of the people, according to The Express Tribune.
Earlier, the court cancelled the December 19 notification of the interior ministry regarding the increase in the number of union councils. The court also nullified the ECP's notification regarding the postponement of the elections. (ANI)