MQM-P expresses concern over ‘no progress’ on agreement with PPP

Demands implementation of Supreme Court decision regarding Article 140A of the constitution

KARACHI:

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) held two meetings on Tuesday and discussed the progress of the agreement, reached between the two parties in the past.

The Muttahida raised a number of points and issues mentioned in the agreement that remained unresolved.

The MQM-P has demanded the implementation of the Supreme Court decision regarding Article 140A of the constitution.

The Muttahida leaders took firm stand on the issue and urged the PPP government to legalise the local bodies draft at the earliest.

They said, almost 45 days have passed, but things are slowing down. MQM has demanded amendment in the local government law so that civic bodies, authorities and departments could be handed over to the mayor and district chairmen. Muttahida has demanded that local government revenue agencies should be given under mayor.

Issues related to KDA also came up in the meeting clause by clause.

MQM committee members said that PPP seems not interested in empowering the system but wants to do only cosmetic work. PPP committee members want institutions to remain under the provincial government, said MQM-P members, and expressed strong reservation about delimitation of Karachi, Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas. They said, holding election is not possible with the 'unfair delimitation'. According to sources, Muttahida leaders said, "We were asked a number of times to nominate party members for ministries, administrators, chairmen of standing committees. These are all secondary things. MQM wants legislation in local government act as per the court decision."

 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 8^th, 2022.