ISLAMABAD - Balochistan government is dragging its feet from extending cooperation to the Election Commission of Pakistan in holding Local Governments elections in the province in May as required under Article 220 of the Constitution.
According to informed sources, Balochsitan is forthcoming on the ECP schedule for completing process of delimitation of constituencies.
Sources said that the ECP had received through official channels a copy of a resolution unanimously adopted by Balochistan Assembly earlier this month, demanding that the ongoing delimitation exercise and local government elections in the province be put off indefinitely.
The resolution recommended to the provincial government to take up the issue with the federal government, which in turn should ask the ECP to postpone the polls so that the local government system could be reformed.
The resolution was moved by Balochistan Minister for Higher Education and Information Zahoor Ahmed Buledi on behalf of all members of the assembly.
The development coincided with a high-level meeting at the ECP which had rejected the plea by provincial chief secretary and the secretary of the local government for putting off delimitation and local government polls till November this year.
Meanwhile, a senior ECP official expressed the hope that all institutions will carry forward the democratic process and the ECP’s directive under Article 220 of the Constitution would be implemented in letter and spirit.
Article 220 of the Constitution reads: “It shall be the duty of all executive authorities in the federation and in the provinces to assist the commissioner and the Election Commission in the discharge of his or their functions.”
The official made it clear that the commission would go to any extent to meet its legal and constitutional obligation of holding timely local government polls.
The official said that the term of Balochistan’s local government institutions had expired on Jan 27 and LG elections in Balochistan were to be held before May 27.
