Local govts should be in place before elections: Kamal

Senior Deputy Convenor of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) Mustafa Kamal has said that the decision to hold the general elections should be reconsidered until local government committees are established.

Kamal said that at the inauguration of the MQM-P's central election office in UC-7 of Shah Faisal Town where Coordination Committee members, including Muhammad Abu Bakr, Afaq Jamal, Farqan Ateeb, Asia Ishaq, and Masood Mahmood, were also present.

Kamal said that the Election Commission of Pakistan has announced the date of the general election which would be held on February 8. "As political parties campaign to gather support, voters often remain uninformed about their post-election plans," he said.

While referring to the myriad of challenges faced by Karachi for the past 75 years, Kamal said that the situation would have been starkly different if the political parties had prioritized well-being of this city's residents.

The PPP ruled Sindh for 15 years and spent Rs22,000 billion, but Karachi is ranked the fourth worst city in the world in terms of livability. "In contrast, the MQM-P's investment of Rs300 billion has contributed to making Karachi one of the 12 fastest-growing cities globally," he claimed.

"We are not here only today; we stand by you every day. Hold us accountable if we renege on our promises. The remarkable growth of our city is a testament to our commitment to serving people of all ages, despite past mistakes," Kamal asserted.

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He argued that during the recent census conducted by the PPP, Karachi's population count was inaccurately lowered compared to the previous one. Kamal stated that MQM-P has conducted its own census, and when all three National Assembly and provincial assembly seats from interior Sindh are considered, Karachi will surpass rural Sindh significantly.

Highlighting demographic statistics, Kamal mentioned that Karachi holds 50% of Sindh's population, while Hyderabad has 8%. Including other urban centres, the population of urban Sindh reaches 65%. He suggested that with these numbers, the chief minister of Sindh should be from Karachi.

The MQM-P has drafted constitutional amendments aiming to empower local governments nationwide, ensuring they receive their rights directly from the federation, Kamal said.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 30^th, 2023.