Karachi:
The Sindh government has declared a holiday on September 24 in 14 districts in the province to facilitate voters in the coming election, according to a review issued Monday. The SINDH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT has also issued instructions to District Education Managers and the Directorate of Private Schools in this regard.
The letter sent to the departments in question said that polling stations would be established in schools located in the relevant constituencies. Authorities also instructed district education officials and the Directorate of Private Schools to expand full cooperation in the events.
The districts where the holidays will be observed include Ghotki, Succur, Khairpur, Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Matiari, Hyderabad, Jamshoro, Dadu, Badin, Thatta, Karachi East, Karachi West and Keamari. Authorities said the decision was aimed at giving citizens the opportunity to cast their votes without difficulty.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission in Pakistan (ECP) has noticed reports that government employees can boycott election duties during the local government review. Under a letter from Sindh -Mel’s Election Commissioner to the Provincial Secretary, the Commission quoted social media reports suggesting that some staff had threatened to refuse election duties.
“A boycott of government employees could affect the election process,” the letter warned. It ordered the district administrations to take immediate steps to ensure the availability of assigned election staff. The Commission has mentioned that most of the election staff is from the education department.
Previously, the ECP had announced that comparisons would be held on the same day for 52 unemployed local authorities across Sindh, including more in Karachi. Officials said events were completed to ensure smooth vote in all districts where seats have become unemployed.
A total of 23 candidates will contest the upcoming elections in Hyderabad, while Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has already secured seven seats that have not been set up. Three seats remain unemployed as no eligible candidates emerged.
