JI chief: LG system crippled by politics, corruption

Hafiz Naeem accuses provinces of sabotaging Article 140-A

KARACHI:

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Sunday accused provincial governments of systematically undermining the local government system, warning that continued violations of constitutional devolution were eroding democracy and deepening urban governance crises, particularly in Karachi.

Addressing a press conference at Idara Noor-e-Haq, the JI Karachi headquarters, Hafiz Naeem said provincial authorities had become "the main hurdle in empowering the local government system", despite clear constitutional guarantees.

He said, "Article 140 A of the constitution emphasises the devolution of powers, but it is widely violated because of politics and corruption."

Taking aim at Sindh's ruling party, the JI leader said the relationship between the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) was driven by expediency rather than public interest, alleging that their conflicts "are merely artificial dramas to deceive the public".

He added that the public had rejected both parties, alleging that the PPP was expressing its frustration over electoral setbacks through hostility towards Karachi.

 

Hafiz Naeem claimed that "the PPP government has already consumed Rs 3,360 billion belonging to Karachi", questioning where the city's reduced 15 to 20 per cent share under the Octroi and Zila Tax (OZT) was being spent and lamenting the absence of accountability.

Referring to Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, he asked whether "Bilawal's vision was to turn Karachi into Mohenjo-daro", saying that inaugurating a few buses would never resolve the city's deep-rooted transport crisis.