PTI, MQM-P march against amended LG Act

Provincial lawmakers of PTI and MQM-P, led by leader of the opposition in Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh, marched in a rally from the assembly building to the Supreme Court Karachi registry. The aim was to hold a peaceful demonstration to draw the attention of the apex court towards the alleged violation of fundamental human rights and the contravention to constitutional provisions.

They requested Chief Justice of Pakistan to take up constitutional petitions against the Sindh Local government Act 2013. The petitions were filed separately by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Muttehda Qaumi Movement-Pakistan.

PTI Parliamentary leader in Sindh Assembly Bilal Abdul Gaffar, MQM-P parliamentary leader Kunwar Naveed Jamil, Muhammad Hussain and other members of the provincial assembly were holding banners and placards with slogans against the SLGA 2013.

Haleem Adil Sheikh, speaking on the occasion, termed the SLGA 2013 and its subsequent amendments as a violation of the Constitution of Pakistan. Sheikh said that the act had deprived local governments from it statuary rights and authority which were guaranteed under articles 7, 8, 32 and 140-A of the constitution.

Haleem Adil said that PTI filled a constitutional petition in the apex court a few years ago, challenging the SLGA 2013. "PTI Chairman Imran Khan and Secretary General Asad Umer were applicants in the petition. However, the petition is still pending in the Supreme Court, just like the similar petition of MQM-P.

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He appealed the Chief Justice of Pakistan to fix the petitions for hearing on an emergency basis and decide the cases so that local government system of Sindh could get its constitutional powers and functions and be able to serve the masses.

"We, as representative of the people of Sindh, have gathered here in front of the SCP Karachi registry in a peaceful manner and without disrupting court proceedings or creating obstacles to traffic. All this is to raise a voice against the extra-constitutional steps of PPP and to request the CJP to fix the relevant petitions for hearing," Haleem said.

"It is a movement for the restoration of the Constitution and fundamental rights of the people of Sindh," Haleem said. He added the PPP Sindh government had practically imposed civilian martial law in the the province and made the Sindh Assembly hostage.

He alleged that PPP, owing to its majority in the provincial assembly, was passing unconstitutional laws and suppressing the basic human rights of the people.

"The PPP, in Sindh, developed an anti-judiciary narrative and their ministers, advisers and legislators were making statements in public and openly criticising orders and decisions of higher courts, Haleem noted.

Kunwar Naveed Jameel of MQM-P said that his party, in 2017, filled a constitutional petition against SLGA 2013 in Supreme Court and also requested the apex court for interpretation of article 140-A of the Constitution as that article had direct relevance to life of masses.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 28^th, 2021.