Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Waseem Akhtar has said that his party is not fleeing from the election, it should be held after removing errors in the voters’ lists and setting up proper constituencies, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.  

Talking to the media on Monday, he said that MQM has been part of the different national political parties in its long political struggle for the well-being of citizens of Sindh, especially for the residents of Karachi. 

MQM Contact Committee’s member Waseem Akhtar further said that in order to strengthen the local government system, there was a discussion held with Asif Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. 

He said that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is usually responsible for carrying out delimitation, but the Sindh government is doing this itself. He added that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had also agreed that until the constituencies are fixed, there will be no local body elections. He further remarked that PTI and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) are “our brothers”, asking them why they changed their stance.

The former minister said that if the constituencies are not correct, it amounts to not being sincere with Karachi.

Waseem Akhtar further said that all parties had agreed that the powers should be devolved to the local government. “We say local government elections should be quick, but with correct constituencies,” he added.

MQM leader said that they contacted the Election Commission and the Court in this regard. “There should be no local bodies election in Karachi until and unless errors in the constituencies and voter list are rectified, he asserted. 

He said that MQM’s struggle is for a better local government system and it wants a mayor of Karachi with full powers. “We are trying to solve the problems of Karachi but JI and PTI are in hurry for the elections, he said.

 Waseem added that MQM is working to resolve issues such as delimitations and others before the election. 

He said that there are seven districts in Karachi and MQM is not running away from the election, but it wants the correct constituencies to be done before,” he hinted.