Former Justice Fakhruddin G Ebrahim chaired a consultative meeting of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) which reviewed issues of dual nationalities, correction of electoral rolls and delimitation of Karachi constituencies on the directives of apex court.
Representatives of 13 of 16 political parties, including PPP, PML-N, PML-Q, MQM, JI, Sunni Tehrik, JUI-F, JUP and PTI, took part in the meeting in which various administrative matters pertaining to upcoming general elections were discussed. During the meeting, MQM expressed reservations regarding new delimitation of constituencies, whereas other parties assured the ECP of their full cooperation.
Later an ECP statement said that the Commission had invited all stakeholders and heard their views on delimitation of constituencies. The commission directed: "Each stakeholder will submit (his or her party's) views in writing accompanied by maps showing desired changes within a week and those present there promised to do the same." All parties except MQM agreed, in principle, that delimitation was necessary. The Commission will proceed with the delimitation, the ECP stated. The meeting also deliberated on finalising the draft code of conduct for the upcoming general elections.
MQM's Dr Farooq Sattar expressed his party's reservations over delimitations and termed the delimitation in Karachi illegal and unconstitutional. Dr Farooq Sattar contended that the commission was "under pressure to do this job". He wondered why Karachi was being singled out for delimitation "If it is necessary for free and fair elections, my party demands that new boundaries of constituencies be demarcated across the country," he said. In reply to MQM's objections, Fakhruddin G Ibrahim said that measures were being taken for delimitation in Karachi, as it had been ordered by the apex court.