MQM-P terms SC ruling ‘victory of people’

Says verdict on its 2013 petition to empower local bodies sets new course for politics

KARACHI:

Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) on Tuesday rejoicing Supreme Court ruling to empower local bodies said that the decision has set future course of politics.

Supreme Court ruled that it was the constitutional responsibility of the Sindh government to empower local bodies by ensuring devolution of powers to the local government representative. The apex court announced its verdict over the interpretation of the Article 140A of the Constitution.

Welcoming the verdict at Bahadurabad, the headquarters of Muttahida Qaumi MovementPakistan, Convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui told a press conference said, "if your courts are independent, you are in an independent country."

Today's landmark decision of the Supreme Court is in line with the aspirations of the Pakistani people, said the leader of the party that had won the local government elections in Karachi, got its mayor elected, only to lose all powers to the provincial government.

"Today is a day of gratitude and peace. Today's decision heralds a secure and prosperous future for the people of rural and urban Sindh," the MQM-P convener said in an emotionally charged tone.

Siddiqui said the Supreme Court's decision has encouraged the Sindhi people to lay hands on the corrupt government and the feudal lords. Today's verdict of empowering the local bodies sets the course for a new struggle towards devolution of power at grass root level.

For this, it is necessary that all the political parties, students unite and play their role for the practical implementation of today's victory. On this occasion, Siddiqui further said that in achieving this success, we salute all the mothers, sisters and brothers and the people who were injured in the rally on January 26 yet remained steadfast in face of the violence.

"The top court's decision has boosted our confidence in the courts and we hope that we will always get justice from these courts. Today's success is not only the success of MQM-P but also the success of 98% of the Pakistani people," he said.

Today, all local bodies of Sindh have been empowered through MQM Pakistan. Whether it is Sukkur, Hyderabad, Sehwan, Larkana or any other city, it has been empowered.

Today, through this press conference, we appeal to the peasants, farmers, laborers and common people of Sindh to work together against the feudal lords and the feudal system. MQM Pakistan Rehabilitation Committee Head Dr Farooq Sattar, head of the, has said that in the light of the decision of the Supreme Court, the Sindh government should immediately enact the Local Government Act under Article 140A of the Constitution.

All stakeholders should be consulted on the new Local Government Act. Only empowered local governments can solve people's problems. Addressing a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Tuesday, Dr. Farooq Sattar said that the Supreme Court of Pakistan has given the most important and historic decision regarding Sindh Local Government Act. The decision was made on the MQM's historic 2017 petition.

This petition was filed by me and my Rabita Committee in the Supreme Court against the Black Local Government Act of 2013. The PPP once again enacted the new Local Government Black Law in 2021. "We had said that SBCA, KDA, Karachi Water and Sewerage Board and other institutions should be subordinated to the city governments which was upheld by the judiciary today," he said.