The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Saturday issued an interim order in Karachi unrest case, taking a serious notice of Election Commission’s inaction regarding delimitation of constituencies in the metropolis.

In its 27-page order, which includes a 6-page additional note by Justice Khilji Arif, a larger-bench of the Supreme Court declared it had clearly ordered the delimitation in Karachi and that it was not an observation. It directed that it is responsibility of the Election Commission to hold transparent and impartial elections in the country.
According to the interim order, the MQM had not taken the issue of delimitations of Karachi seriously; that is why its petitions were rejected by the court.
So far as the Muhajir Qaumi Movement’s petition is concerned, it was also rejected as the petitioner did not pursue the case.
The order further says that the all sections of the society had welcomed the Supreme Court’s suo motu notice regarding Karachi law and order situation. One year has passed but the government has not followed the court order in this regard.
The Elections Commission had also been ordered to implement the court order but in vain.
According to interim order, Article 51’s sub section 2 of the Constitution is not related to delimitations. Karachi: Delimitation Act 1973 doesn’t put any check on new delimitations. Moreover, the aforesaid Act also doesn’t decrease the authority of the election commission.
The order further says that the Election Commission is authorized to bring change in constituencies whenever it would like to do so. Apparently is seems that the Election Commission doesn’t want to follow the judicial order.
Justice Khilji Arif Hussain stated in his additional note that it is responsibility of the Election Commission to hold transparent and impartial elections in the country.