About 42 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) UC chairmen and vice chairmen have announced not to take part in upcoming elections for Karachi mayor and deputy mayor, reported 24NewsHD TV channel Monday.
PTI UC chairmen and vice chairmen held a session in Karachi and decided not to participate in elections for the Karachi mayor and deputy mayor on June 15.
They announced not to vote in favour of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) mayor candidate Hafiz Naeemur Rehman.
It emerged that PTI UC chairmen will remain absent on the voting day.
The UC chairmen said that they knew the ground realities in Karachi and that the elected local government (LG) representatives have the right to make decisions independently.
“The local leaders took decisions without holding consultations with them and they are not agreeing on the decisions of the office bearers of the PTI Karachi Division.
They added, “JI has taken advantage of the current situation and elected its representatives on the reserved seats. We are not facing any kind of pressure nor accept it in the future.”
To be elected as a Mayor, a candidate needs 184 votes. Pakistan People’s Party is leading with 155 members while JI has 130 members and PTI 62.
Collectively, JI and PTI have 192 votes. However, after the announcement of PTI defectors, JI candidate will have to settle with 150 votes.
PPP has the support of 18 other members of different parties including PML-N. So PPP can win the election by securing 173 votes.