The ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) have agreed on a new power-sharing formula whereby amendments will be made to the local government system of 2001.
In a meeting in the Presidency on Tuesday night, Sindh Governor Ishratul Ebad discussed the contours of the new alignment and MQM’s possible return to the PPP-led ruling coalition. Following the deal, the MQM is likely to rejoin the government in the next few days, sources told The Express Tribune.
PPP’s Sindh chapter wants to amend the LG system 2001 which was reintroduced in the province on the MQM demand in place of the local government system of 1979 that the provincial government had approved after the MQM pulled out of the coalition in June.
“PPP’s Sindh chapter doesn’t want a certain aide of President Zardari to be part of the (legal) committee. It also wants to restrict the role of a federal minister in the affairs of Sindh. We have to work out necessary amendments before a bill is tabled in the provincial assembly,” a PPP leader who attended the meeting told The Express Tribune.
The meeting also discussed the empowerment of law-enforcement agencies to maintain peace in the province. The MQM has been demanding the home ministry in the provincial cabinet besides assurances that it would be accommodated in the proposed delimitations before the next general elections.
PPP’s Sindh chapter complains that the presidential aide and the federal minister had ignored their party’s interests while negotiating with the MQM.
The PPP will reconstitute the legal committee which will negotiate with other stakeholders in Sindh the proposed amendments in the local government order before tabling it in the provincial assembly. Owing to strong reservation within the Pakistan Peoples Party, the presidential aide is likely to be dropped from the committee.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 17th, 2011.
COMMENTS (3)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
2001 system is as corrput as mushrafs rule was an ilegal and a corrput rule which destroy the mandate of people of pakistan. who was mushraf to overthrown the elected government . The staring of that rule was illegal and based on corruption therefore all its actions were unlawful and dishonest. he wanted to keep mqm and all other parties happy who dont have popular public support. the local government system 2001 was a bribe for all those opprtunist . how can u combine five districts of karachi in one and one district of hyderabd in four? This was an open corruption and nepotism . can a honest person who has humanity understands that malpractice.that was the policy of encourchment which only benifit mqm without genuine support of masses. what is wrong with five districts of karachi and one district of hyderabd. why mqm opposed it ? they know they cant win election beacuse their cronies havent support of masses. if government ask mqm that we restore karachi in five district and hyderabd in historical one district as well as restore mushrafs 2001 local bodies system . Will they be happy ? will they accept it? will they sing the songs in favour of the 2001 system? if they really like the system they must be happy with that. if they really know that they have masses support why then they hesitat to accept it. this is an open question for mqm supporters , please answer me if you can honestly. thanks
The system should be such that is good for the public and the state. The 2001 LG system has proved to be such. keep it then. Why cry.
People have elected their representatives in the National and Provincial Assemblies.
Any change in the LG system should be first consulted with the people who have all the right either to accept it or reject it.
If any amendment will not protect the interest of the citizens, the citizens have all the right to reject it.