KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has said his government will never allow delay in general elections, therefore, a way out be explored to hold the polls on the basis of provisional census results.

This he said while presiding over a preparatory meeting for the 25th InterProvincial Coordination Committee (IPCC) meeting at the CM House here on Wednesday.

The meeting was attended by provincial ministers Jam Mehtab Dahar and Dr Sikandar Mandhro, chief secretary Rizwan Memon, Sindh HEC chairman Dr Asim Hussain, principal secretary to CM Sohail Rajput, energy secretary Agha Wasif, U&B secretary Naveed Shaikh, IPC department secretary and others.The chief minister said the provisional census results were shown in the last Council of Common Interests (CCI) meeting and added that the final results would only be available by April 2018, which would be too late.

`Delay in releasing final result s means delay in holding elections,` he pointed out and said that when final results would be released the government would be constitutionally bound to hold the polls accordingly.

He said when at the CCI meeting it was pointed out that the elections could only be held in time on the basis of provisional census results if necessary amendment is made in the Constitution, the matter was referred to the IPCC.

The CCI directed the IPCC to submit its report in the next CCI meeting.

The chief minister said his government had serious reservations about the census results and directed the chief secretaryto get block-wise results from the chief census commissioner for counter check.

He also directed Health Minister Dr Sikandar Mandhro to lead the Sindh government team at the IPCC meeting, scheduled for Thursday, and maintain a clear stance.

The other issue to be tal(en up at the IPCC meeting is the role and jurisdiction of the Higher Education Commission after the 18th constitutional amendment.

The IPCC would also discuss import of LNG as the Sindh government believed that import of LNG was a CCI subject.

Mr Shah also emphasised the need of introducing reforms in the gas sector as there should be a regulatory body in which provincial government should have due representation.

The IPCC will also discuss supply of gas to localities/villages within five kilometres of gas producing fields.