The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday reviewed requests filed by the political parties for the postponement of local government elections in Badin due to prevailing law and order situation. A meeting was held with Chief Election Commissioner Sardar Raza Khan in the chair to review the requests for postponing the local government elections in Badin. Political parties thought that Badin could be another battle field like Khairpur in the second phase of local body polls.
As political atmosphere is fully charged in Badin and observers believe that the district could be turned into another battle ground like Khairpur, where on October 31, in the first phase of local government elections, 12 people were killed and several wounded in a clash between rival parties, majority of the dead were workers of the PML-F.
In order to review the arrangements and issues of law & order in Badin, Sanghar, Tharparkar, Umerkot, Nowshero Feroz districts of Sindh province for the conduct of the second phase of local government elections, a high level meeting has been convened by the Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan on Saturday. Chief secretary Sindh, Inspector General Police Sindh , Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department Sindh and DROs of Sanghar, Badin, Tharparkar, Umerkot and Nowshero Feroz shall attend the meeting. Local government election in Badin is part of second phase of elections in Punjab and Sindh scheduled to be held on November 19.
Earlier this week, unknown gunmen opened fire at an election rally led by disgruntled Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader Zulfiqar Mirza near Tandobago, an area of Badin. The former provincial minister accused the PPP of targeting his rally, warning that the Sindh government and supporters of Asif Ali Zardari would be responsible for consequences. Later on, speaking to media outside the parliament house, Zulfiqar Mirza's wife and former National Assembly speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza said her family had been facing serious threats and the Sindh government would be responsible if anything went wrong. Badin, a main district of the province where ruling Pakistan People's Party (PPP), Dr Zulfiqar Mirza's group, Ismail Rahoo (president of PML-N Sindh) along with other allies are at loggerheads.