ISLAMABAD: The local bodies’ elections took place in Pakistan’s restive southwest Balochistan province on December 7 last year, but nearly three months later, there is still no local government in the province.
Local bureaucrats are not hopeful. “The formation of local government in the province may take months and years,” said Sultan Bayazeed, the provincial election commissioner (PEC) of Balochistan.
He cited the absence of required laws as a major reason behind the unprecedented delay in the elections that would bring mayors and municipal, district and union councils into being.
The first phase of the local bodies’ polls for over 7,000 seats was completed on December 7 last year, which elected over 6,500 councillors from the province. By-elections were held during the second phase on January 19.
However, the third and second-last phase has been put on the backburner. In this leg, candidates had to be elected for the 33 percent of seats for allotted to women and the 15 percent to various interest groups, including technocrats, professionals, social workers, labourers, youth representatives, minorities and peasants.
The provincial government has accused the PEC for this delay. “The ball is in his court,” said Jan Buledi, a spokesman for the provincial government.
INTERNEWS
