Opposition rejects talks offer on LG law

Haleem Adil dismisses Sindh govt offer as ‘meaningless’

KARACHI:

Opposition Parties in the provincial assembly, while rejecting negotiations on the Sindh Local Government Amendment Bill 2021 on Monday, said that consultation was if the government withdrew "authoritarian amendments".

"Sindh Local Government Act 2013 and recent amendments are unconstitutional. They are in violation of the law of land and human rights. All parties will protest against it across the province," asserted Sindh Assembly Opposition Leader Haleem Adil Sheikh. He issued this statement while addressing a press conference at the Sindh Assembly Building.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement Parliamentary leader Muhammad Hussain, Grand Democratic Alliance Parliamentary Leader Husnain Mirza and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Bilal Gaffar Parliamentary Leader accompanied him.

Haleem said that all opposition parties consider government's the informal offer for talks as meaningless. He pointed that the opposition should have been consulted before introducing the bill in the assembly. "All opposition parties have consulted on the amendment bill and agreed that under the black law, local governments have been deprived of their [already] limited powers," he stated.

Read More: Sindh govt ready to hold talks with opposition on LG Bill: Ghani

The opposition leader said that they have conveyed their concerns to the Sindh governor and have informed him that the bill was passed in an illegal, unconstitutional and non-parliamentary manner.

"The PPP knew that it cannot win the next elections by vote and that is why they wanted to win through notes," he added.

We also do not accept the Local Government Act 2013 which deprived LG bodies of Sindhm especially Karachi of their powers. He added now PPP had introduced more amendments and those were in contravention of articles 7, 8, 32 and 140-A.

Haleem said that the amendments enabled anyone to become mayor and chairman even if he was unable to win from his union council.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 7^th, 2021.