ISLAMABAD            -           The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday accused the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for helping the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)-led ruling alliance in the centre in escaping the embracement of defeat by postponing the local government elections in the federal capital. Addressing a press conference here along with other local party leaders, Secretary General PTI Asad Umar came down hard on the Election Commission for postponing the local government elections as he said “on lame excuse in order to provide safe passage to the imported rulers to escape the looming crushing defeat.” He stressed that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)- led federal government could not escape the defeat, as PTI filed an intra-court appeal without waiting for the decision of the commission and hoped the justice would be done and elections would be held anytime soon. He made it clear that the government was looking for lame excuses to run away from the elections and the biased ECP helped the regime in this regard. The remarks of the senior party leader came hours after the ECP postponed the upcoming local bodies election, scheduled to be held on December 31, in Islamabad “for the time being.” Umar has said that the ECP helped PDM by postponing the local government elections in Islamabad by reversing its own decision, as Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan said that they would use every tactic to get the polls delayed. He went on to say that these rulers did not have the courage to compete with PTI Chairman Imran Khan anywhere, as he routed them everywhere in the country. He said that the Sindh government would also try again to postpone the elections in Karachi and Hyderabad, whereas, opponents ran away from the LG elections in the Islamabad Capital Territory. He said that the decision regarding the postponement of the Islamabad LG polls was not unexpected since the ECP was not functioning as an independent state body. “The excuse made by the electoral body for postponing the elections had nothing to do with reality.” Former federal minister Umar claimed that the PTI would continue its struggle for an empowered local body system in the country and would exercise all constitutional and legal rights to ensure holding of the LG polls at the earliest. He expressed optimism that they would get relief from Islamabad High Court to this effect. He said that the “imported” rulers made a mockery of the constitution and the law, as when elections were around the corner they announced to change the law in order to increase the number of union councils and ensure direct elections for mayor and deputy mayor of Islamabad. He said that both of these things were done by the PTI government and increased the UCs from 50 to 101, besides making election of mayor directly. However, he said that they challenged the move in the court and the legislation could not be completed. Umar said that attempts were being made that PTI lawmakers change their loyalties. He added that every MPA knew that switching of loyalty would be tantamount to his political death. He said that the citizens of Islamabad should be given the right to take their decisions by using legal authority.