‘PPP will give surprise in local govt polls’

Education minister blames PTI, MQM for delays

KARACHI:

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) will spring a surprise in the next local government elections, Sindh Minister for Education and Labour Saeed Ghani on Saturday.

PPP wants local bodies' elections to be held in the province as soon as possible, but delays have been caused by controversial census and delimitation of constituencies, he said at a press conference.

"The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf led federal government and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement which claims right over the port city are responsible for the delay in the local government elections," Ghani said reminding that these parties passed the controversial census in parliament and the Counciol of Common Interest (CCI).

The PPP will give a surprise in the upcoming local body elections in the districts and cantonment areas. If the Kashmir elections were rigged in the style of July 25, 2018, it would be an irreparable loss to the Kashmir cause. Educational institutions in Sindh have been closed in view of the Covid situation but the examinations cannot be canceled as it could jeopardize the children's academic year.

He expressed these views during a press conference at his camp office on Saturday on the occasion of joining of Najib Wali, former vice-president of Cantonment Board Clifton and three-time elected member. PPP Sindh general secretary Waqar Mehdi, Najmi Alam, Khalil Hout, Karamullah Waqasi and others were also present on the occasion.

Saeed Ghani said that Najeeb Wali is the only elected member of Clifton Cantonment to have held the place at the board for three times while he was also elected as vice president from there. His joining the PPP will make the party more active.

Read more: Heaps of offal proves Sindh govt reeks of corruption: PTI

He said that nomination papers for cantonment board elections will start from July 26 and elections will be held on September 12. He expressed hope that PPP will field its candidates from all cantonment boards of Karachi this time. He said that the participation of a large number of officials and workers of various political parties in Sindh including Karachi at present is a clear indication that the public service initiatives of PPP have affected the people.

He said that in the past the fate of those who were elected depended on someone's shoulders and their deeds instead of their people. Now the people have realized that and not only in the cantonment but also in the coming local body elections PPP will win by a landslide. The next mayors of all districts of Sindh including Karachi will be from PPP.

Responding to questions from journalists on the occasion, he said that holding elections is not the job of Sindh government but of Election Commission and cantonment elections have also been announced by Election Commission and PPP is participating in it. He said that we believe that the situation of Covid is deteriorating day by day in Sindh including Karachi but our steps have been taken in this regard. He said that it is not correct to say that there are no beds for Covid patients in the hospitals. Even now there are beds and ventilators in the hospitals all over Sindh including Karachi. However, we have tightened the precautionary measures in order to control the situation.

To another question, he said that according to the law of local government, the Sindh government can appoint administrators after the expiry of the term of elected chairpersons and they can be political or a government official. He said that DCs are still in charge of government officials and administrators of all DMCs as administrators of KMC. He said that Murtaza Wahab is not only a part of the cabinet at the moment but is doing a responsible job. "We don't care about the differences between other political parties in their name," he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 25^th, 2021.