Strike call: ANP against the LG system

KTI to decide if they are in or out today.

KARACHI: The Awami National Party (ANP) Sindh chapter has decided to support the Sindh nationalist party strike on August 13 against the reinstatement of the local government system, said ANP Sindh chief Shahi Syed at a press conference held at his house on Thursday.

While criticising the government, Shahi Syed pointed out that the nationalist parties had played a major role in restoring provincial autonomy. “When the democratic parties were celebrating the Provincial Autonomy Day no one had thought that it would end so soon,” he said. “By reverting to the local government system, the government has encroached upon the democratic mandate.”

He appealed to the businessmen, transporters and traders to support the strike and not go to work on Saturday. Shahi Syed told the people to beware of those who might try to ruin their strike and create chaos in the province. He also appealed to the Pakistan Peoples Party representatives in the National and Provincial assemblies to help restore the commissionerate system in Karachi and Hyderabad.

Previously, the ANP had held an emergency meeting on Thursday with the Sindh United Party leader Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah at his residence to discuss if they would support the August 13 strike.

KTI and the strike

Karachi Transport Ittehad (KTI) President Irshad Ahmed Bukhari told The Express Tribune that Shah, Shahi Syed and Punjabi Pakhtoon Ittehad leaders Irfanullah Marwat and Ayub Awan had contacted them to participate in the strike but the KTI had not made a decision as yet. He added that a meeting would be held on Friday (today) to discuss the matter. Bukhari criticised the government and added that more than 500 vehicles had been burnt and 50 drivers killed in the last couple of years but the government had only compensated for 100 vehicles and 10 families.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 12^th, 2011.